The Originals
by Shoerockett
Summary: Pit, Ike, Peach and Junior are on a mission to defeat Tabuu, the figure who has proclaimed himself ruler of the world. Pit tells the others of a time before the Memory Loss, when the world was led by its true leader, Master Hand. Peach doesn't know what to believe, but it's too late to escape, especially with the Originals after them. Will they succeed?
1. Departure

**(Junior's POV)**

The entrance to Mom's bakery faces stairs that lead up to both our rooms. The actual counter where you buy the pastries is to the right, as well as a few tables and chairs for customers to enjoy their snacks. It's easy for me to leave the house/bakery without being seen, but a small problem is the bell attached to the door that rings every time the door opens. I was waiting at the base of the stairs, waiting for a customer to come in so I can sneak out undetected. From where Mom was positioned, there was no way she could see me, so once the opportunity came, I would be outside to do whatever I wanted.

In truth, I wanted to go to the Fields. Mom never lets me go there because of the monsters that roam there. Ironically, that's the reason why I go there every chance I can get. I don't care how many Tow Tows or Auroros I kill, as long as I get stronger. Mom doesn't understand. When I told her my ambition, she called it barbaric. It's those times that make me think we're not even related. I mean sure we look alike, both of us having blond hair, but other than that, we had nothing in common. Mom isn't a fighter. You can tell from the pink princess-like dress she always wears. When I first woke up from the Memory Loss, it struck me odd that my clothes were very different from hers. I had a sword and other weapons on me that I felt did not belong there. I told Mom that and she agreed, saying that she never wanted me to be in a fight or anything just as violent. My mindset since then has changed, and now I'm the kid who starts fights in Daycare and wanders off into the fields when his mother believes he's sleeping in his room. When Mom found out, she nearly hyperventilated. She smacked my face with her frying pan and then apologized profusely right after. The next morning she baked more sweets than she would ever make in her lifetime. She took it pretty bad, but that morning she made me promise never to go to the Fields again. And I held true to that promise…

…up to now.

Every day since then I've been itching for battle, and the only way to relieve myself of that itch was to do just that. Fight. It didn't matter since I had no friends in Daycare. Actually, everybody hated my guts there, including the teacher. I got many detentions, and Mom would be disappointed in me every time. She promised Penny—the teacher—that it will never happen again. Of course there was no way that would happen. Mom would feel horrible having broken every promise for a pacifist son, even if it was out of her control. Honestly it hurt me. Just a week ago there was another parent conference and Mom was not even able to utter a word.

She was too busy crying.

Yesterday I got the itch, and since Daycare was over for the year, I decided it was time to head to the Fields. The sudden knell startled me, and I grabbed a hold of the door just as it was about to close. I was about to head out when Mom called my name.

"Junior?" The customer that just came in looked at me. Mom was doing the same, leaning over from behind the counter.

I cursed under my breath and turned around, still holding on to the door. I gave Mom a false smile and said, "Yeah?"

"You're going out?" I nodded, trying my best to act nonchalant. Mom can pick out a lie faster than a hound can pick up a scent, "Yeah." Her eyebrow arched. I saw the customer look back and forth between us.

"Where?" she asked.

"Daycare," I told her.

"You're in summer break," she replied.

"Yeah…" I looked at the bakery floor, a bunch of tiles in the form of a brightly colored chess board. "I decided to volunteer there for the summer program… in order to make up for my behavior…"

My Mom's eyes sparkled as they teared up, and I almost wanted to take back my lie. Mom hopped over the counter and embraced me, the smell of bread filling my nostrils, "Oh Junior, that's so thoughtful of you! I'm so happy you would take responsibility for your actions. It's so noble; you don't know how much you remind me of your Father…"I stiffened, and Mom felt my reaction, "What's wrong?"

"I, uh, don't want to be late. I'll be back soon!" I pecked her on the cheek and ran out of the bakery, Mom hollering for me to be back before lunch.

At the gate of the town, I came to a stop to catch my breath. I looked up and saw the Fields expand before me. If it weren't for the population of monsters, this landscape would've probably be considered a paradise—the grass was a wholesome green, a darker shade than that of my tunic. There were patches of flowers here and there, which just added to the beauty of the place. A breeze would occasionally sweep by, rolling the long grass over like waves at the shore.

I eagerly got my sword that was strapped to my back and ran straight ahead. I climbed up a small hill to see a Tow Tow sleeping about two meters from where I was. I approached it cautiously, careful not to wake it up. I stared at the blade in my hand, regretting that I hadn't sharpened it recently. It's a lot work, so I usually find excuses to avoid doing it, such as saying the stone had become to jagged, or that I had homework to do. Sometimes I even wondered if I even used the sword correctly. I mean, no one ever taught me, at least, from what I know of. Even if I was taught, the Memory Loss would have taken that memory away. I could beat up the kids at daycare easily, but did I have actual skill? It wouldn't be so bad if I practiced, but the last time I used my sword was to help my Mom dice carrots.

I shook my head. I'm practicing now, aren't I? With a cry I jumped and impaled the blade into the face of the Tow Tow. Its serene expression turned into that of anger, and its teeth morphed into fangs. I gave it a couple of more quick slashes, not letting it have the opportunity to attack. Electricity enveloped the Tow Tow, but I ignored it. My hand was buzzing a bit, and I shook it off to execute the final blow. I panted as the Tow Tow disintegrated into darkness just to disappear all together. I looked around to see monsters coming my way having heard the commotion. "Bring it on!" I yelled, as I went for the nearest Primid.

I fell to the ground exhausted. There were flecks of black all over me from the darkness that the monsters gave off after they've been extinguished. I took a quick glance of my surroundings, searching if there might have been a monster I had missed. Thankfully there wasn't, but there was something off in the distance. It wasn't a monster—I could tell that much. I got up and approached it, gasping when I realized what it was.

A body.

I ran towards it, kneeling beside the unconscious figure. He was alive—I could tell from the short breaths he took. He was older than me; that was obvious from the maturity of his face. He had messy blue hair and torn clothing. He wasn't a hobo, or at least I don't think he was. His ripped cape and head band just seemed old, as if he had them for a long time. He wore a blue tunic and brown boots, making him seem like some sort of adventurer. I shook him, and it was then that I noticed he was laying on a sword, a pretty big one, at that. I could see that the blade was golden, but the rest was covered up.

"Hey, wake up! Come on, wake up!" I shook him harder until I saw his eyes tighten and a groan escape his mouth. His eyes opened, revealing irises the same color as his hair. He looked at me for quite some time before I decided to break the silence. "Um, I take it it's not that comfortable lying on a sword."

The man said nothing, but sat up, taking a hold of the blade. I couldn't help but stare at it in awe. It was taller than me, and by the looks of it, really heavy, but this guy picked it up with one hand. He scratched his head and I cleared my throat, standing up and offering him a hand. He took it, but getting up took more effort on his part since he almost pulled me down trying to pull himself up.

"I'm Junior. What's your name?"

"My name…" his voice was raspy and he coughed, "My name is…" His eyes widened and waved around frantically, "I-I don't know!" He looked at me, "Who am I!?"

I held my hands up and he backed away, "Don't ask me, I just found you knocked out here."

"I was knocked out?"

He looked so lost. I wanted to help him, but I didn't know what to do. Mom was smarter than me, maybe she can help? I knew Mom would get mad that I lied to her, but she was the only person that I could think of that would probably be able to help. "Why don't you come to my house? Maybe my Mom can help you." I got his wrist and lead him to the town. He shook my hand off and followed me, seeing he really had nowhere else to go.

**(Peach's POV)**

Today was going slow. It made sense—summer wasn't really a time people preferred to eat pastries with coffee. Even so, I couldn't close the bakery because there were those few people who actually came to buy some sweet bread. I was all alone to support Junior and myself, so I really had no choice but to keep the place open. My mind wandered to Junior, and I smiled as I pictured him helping toddlers make arts and crafts and handing out brown sacks with apples and sandwiches inside them. There was a knell, indicating that a new customer has arrived. "Welcome—Junior!?"

Junior came in with a rogue swordsman behind him. He was tall, making Junior seem like a dwarf in comparison. I know in this case you would think the stranger would grab my attention, but actually it was Junior who appeared to be covered head to toe in what looked like soot. A closer inspection and I knew it was the remains of shadow bugs, leftovers of defeated monsters, "You were in the Fields!?"

Junior gaped at me and sputtered until he managed to pronounce words, "Mom, you don't understand—"

"Junior you lied to me! Not only that, but you broke your promise!"

"Mom…"

"And here I thought you were performing community service. Junior, why would you go to the Fields? Don't you know how dangerous that is?"

The stranger spoke up on Junior's behalf, "If that's the case, then your son has saved my life."

I looked at him, "Excuse me?"

Junior explained, "Mom, I found this guy zonked out in the Fields! He doesn't know who he is, or how he ended up there."

"It's true, ma'am."

I took a quick glance at Junior, then went back to the stranger, "Junior, go upstairs," I ordered.

"Mom," he began, but I cut him off. "Clean up. I'll take care of this lad."

Junior was about to protest, but the stranger said, "Listen to your mother, Junior."

Junior reluctantly did as told, walking up the stairs with his head down. I went over the counter and sat down on the table against the window. I motioned for the stranger to sit across from me. He sat down and stared at his hands. I couldn't imagine looking at my own hands to not recognize them, and so I spoke in a comforting tone, "Amnesia, huh?" He nodded and I continued, "Well, seeing that you were in the Fields, you were probably heading towards, or leaving this town. I've never seen you before, so most likely you were on your way here. In that case, someone in this town might recognize you."

"You really think so?" he asked me.

"It's a possibility. Judging from your clothes, you travel a lot, so it might be that you just came to rest here for the day, but ended up knocked out in the Fields."

The man shook his head, "No way; a monster wouldn't be able to take away my memory."

"It doesn't matter how it happened, as long as we fix it. Maybe seeing someone you know will bring back a forgotten memory?" I got up and the stranger followed me, "It wouldn't hurt to ask around."

"Guess not," he said, but I knew from his face that he thought it was hopeless.

I was tired of hearing "No" and "I'm sorry". I'm sure the stranger was, too. "That's everyone," I told him, "It's a one horse town."

The man looked depressed, "Maybe I did come this way for a place to rest…"

I wanted to comfort him, but I had no idea what to say. Instead, I settled with, "Let's get back to the bakery. We'll figure something out, I'm sure of it."

"Very well…" we headed back to the bakery, but just as we made it to the door, we heard a cry.

"Ike!" We both turned around to see an angel running towards us. No joke—this kid had white fluffy wings behind his back. His white tunic would've been revealing if it weren't for the black spandex he wore underneath. He wore golden rings on his arm and leg, along with a matching wreath on his shaggy brown hair. The angel jumped on the stranger, dragging him on the ground three feet from where he once stood. The stranger looked startled—who wouldn't be with an angel sitting on their chest? He looked down and grabbed the stranger from his collar, "Ike what the heck!? I told you to meet me in the Fields, not in the town! I was running around like a headless chicken looking for you!"

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

The angel blinked," Ike, it's me, Pit."

"I apologize, I don't know you."

"What!?" Pit tugged at the stranger's shirt, "What kind of game are you playing?"

I decided to speak up, "Um, Pit, was it?"

He just seemed to take note of me and he scanned me with his sky blue eyes, "Yeah…who are you?"

"I'm Peach. I own the bakery in this town."

"Okay."

"And, well, the stranger you call Ike… My son found him unconscious in the Fields. You see, he has no memory of who he is."

"He was knocked out?" Pit looked to the side and his features darkened, "Damn, I didn't think they'd catch up to us so quickly…"

"Who?"Ike asked.

Pit turned to me, "You have a bakery, right?" I nodded, "I'll explain everything there."

We sat down on the table beside the window, and just as Pit was about to start, I saw Junior peering over the rail from the base of the stairs. I sighed, "Come over here, Junior." He smiled widely and approached us, sitting beside Pit since it was the only free spot left.

Pit looked at Junior, "So you're the one that brought Ike here? I appreciate it. I'm Pit, by the way, a friend of Ike's."

Junior nodded at Pit and looked at Ike, "So that's your name? Ike?"

"Apparently," Ike nodded towards Pit, "You may begin."

"Honestly, I don't know where to start, but you and I, Ike, were on a mission."

"Love this story already," Junior commented, and I shushed him.

"I'm afraid of your reactions because of the Memory Loss, but our mission was to kill Tabuu."

"The Lord of this world!?" I cried, "Why!?"

Pit glared at me, "That's just it! He's not the ruler of this world! I don't have time for details, but in short, he isn't even from this world! Tabuu was the one that caused the Memory Loss five years ago in order to make us think that he was our ruler. Meanwhile, our real Leaders are being kept hidden away from the outside world…"

"It can't be, "I said, "There's no way you're saying the truth. How could you be?"

Pit stared at the table. There was a coffee stain there that I had forgotten to clean up. It had long dried and was now a shapeless form on the wooden surface. Pit stared at it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, "You see, I still have my memories from before the Memory Loss." Junior and I gaped at him; Ike looked mildly confused not knowing what the Memory Loss was. "It's how I know all of it to be true…Tabuu plans on taking this world into his own realm, ultimately destroying the land as we know it. That's why Ike and I were after the four keys that unlock the gate to the Imperial Tower where Tabuu lives."

Junior frowned, "The four keys? But they're easy to get, aren't they?"

Pit smiled sourly, "It should be, shouldn't? Tabuu knew what Ike and I were planning, and so he sent the Originals after us."

"The Originals?"Junior frowned at the unknown term.

"The first twelve creations of Tabuu," I said.

Pit shook his head, "Not Tabuu, Master Hand. He's our real Leader and Creator," Pit explained further, "You're all aware that we are trophies, right? The first twelve that were created are known as the Originals. They served as the basic model for all the other trophies Master Hand would create. That's the reason why they are considered so highly of, because we are based off of them. They're also respected because of their fighting ability…"

"Are they strong?" Junior asked.

"No duh, they've been here the longest," Junior's face got red in embarrassment and Pit noticed, "Sorry," he apologized, "It's just… Ike, I believe—no— I'm sure it was an Original that knocked you out in the Fields."

"I believe you," he said simply, and I looked down in shame.

"It's hard to believe," I said, "But an angel wouldn't lie…" I looked at Pit's blank face, "I… I believe you, too."

Ike got up, and I got out of the way so he could pass, "I think we've rested long enough. Shall we set off?"

Pit nodded and Junior got out of his seat in order for Pit to get out as well, "Yeah, Say, Peach, Junior, I have a proposal."

"Yes?" I asked. "Would you and Junior come with us? I think we would have a better chance succeeding if we had more people."

"YE—" Junior began, but I cut him off.

"Absolutely not!"

Junior looked at me as if I killed his pet puppy, "Mom!"

I tried reasoning with him, "It's dangerous, especially with the Originals after them!"

"I…I HATE YOU!" Junior ran up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut.

"Oh dear…"

Pit looked around nervously, "We'll be stocking up on items, so in case you change your mind…"

I shook my head, "My mind is set." Pit nodded and waved goodbye as he and Ike left the bakery. Ike looked at me as if he wanted to say something, but instead followed Pit out.

The best way to make a man forgive you is by pleasing his stomach… or something like that. I was making custard, a favorite of Junior's. It took a couple of hours, but after I finished I called Junior. I waited for a moment before I decided to go to his room with the custard in hand. I walked up the stairs and knocked on his door. He was giving me the silent treatment so I opened the door, "Junior, I made—" I dropped the bowl, the custard falling on the carpet. Junior was gone, and I was able to guess where he went. I ran out of the house, the open window vivid in my mind.

"Junior!" I ran to the item shop, but the owner said that Pit and Ike had already left. He had not seen Junior. I sprinted to the gates, where I saw Pit and Ike with Junior, heading out to the Fields. "Junior!" He actually walked faster when he heard me, and I got his wrist when I caught up to him. I stared accusingly at Pit and Ike, "What kind of people are you!? Kidnapping my son!?"

Pit looked at me confused, "What? But Junior told us that you changed your mind."

I looked at my son, "Junior? What the hell!"

"I want to go!" he cried.

"Well, too bad! You're staying!" I started dragging him back towards the town.

"Why don't you stay!? I know the reason why you don't wanna go is because you're hoping Dad will come back."

He spat the words out like poison and I froze. "No," I said, and Junior struggled to loosen my grip, "What kind of person do you take me for? I know very well your father is never coming back."

"Then why!? Give me a reason, and I might stay!"

I looked at him and he stopped squirming when he saw tears in my eyes. I couldn't see his expression because my vision was blurred. That was a good question. Why did I not want him to go? Sure, it would be dangerous, but even I knew it went beyond that. Junior thought that it was because of his Father… maybe he was right. Maybe it was because of him, but not because I was hoping he'd come back. It was because Junior reminds me so much of him. His personality, his overall appearance, and finally, leaving. That's it. That was why I didn't want him to go. I didn't want to be alone, "I don't want you to leave me, too…"

"Mom…"Junior's voice softened, "Fine, I'll stay."

"No," I rubbed my eyes, "You could go… but I have to come, too."

I looked at Junior, and I could see his mouth widen in a huge smile, "Really!?" I nodded and Junior cheered. Ike began walking away from the gate and Junior followed him, "Ike, my Mom said I can go!"

Pit walked towards me and asked, "So what changed your mind?"

I thought about it, "I think it will be a good experience for Junior, and… it makes him happy."

"I'm glad."

Pit followed Ike and Junior, and I followed him. I looked back towards the town; it never appeared so small up until now. A breeze went by. I couldn't help but feel that I would come to regret this decision.


	2. Allys Town

**(Peach's POV)**

It's only been an hour since Junior and I left our town, and I already wanted to go back. Not only was magma spilled all over me from that stupid Buckot, but I felt totally _useless!_ Especially when I tried hitting the Buckot, only for it hover over my reach and drop even more magma on me. Pit was able to vanquish it with an arrow, and the thing literally exploded, leaving me with shadow bug remains all over my dress and face.

"Mom?" Junior asked, concerned.

"That's it Junior, we're going back," I said through gritted teeth.

"Don't exaggerate, Peach, you're actually doing better than I thought you would."

I looked over at Pit, "Really?"

He nodded encouragingly, "Yeah. I actually expected you to be in the way."

"Excuse me!?"

"Don't talk to my mom like that!" Junior glared at Pit, who only gave him a glance.

"It's a compliment. I rather your mom run scared than be a nuisance."

Junior was about to retort when I spoke up, "I thought angels were supposed to be nice."

"That's a stereotype; we're supposed to be honest."

"You could have at least been considerate," Junior told Pit.

He shrugged, "Yeah, well, what can I tell you? I'm not solicitous." He turned his back on us and went ahead to where Ike was slaying Primids.

Junior made a fist, and I knew he was going to say something, so I grabbed his shoulder. He looked at me, "Mom, that's not right! He was being mean to you!"

I smiled at him, happy he was mad for my sake, "It's the truth. Pit's right. Although, I don't want to be hiding behind my son while he does all the fighting."

"It's okay, Mom! You can thank me with custard!"

I ruffled his hair, "I would, but I left all my supplies at the bakery."

"Wait—what!?"

I frowned at him, "What's wrong with that?"

Junior pulled down the sides of his hat. His eyes widened in horror, "We're going to starve!"

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, please, the next town is less than a mile off."

"What if we pass through it!? We don't know where Pit and Ike are headed!"

He had a point. Junior and I just followed Pit's lead. We never actually stopped to ask what our first destination was. "Hey Pit!" The angel heard my call and I waved at him to come over. He hesitated, but walked up to us. His face looked troubled. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm, uh, sorry about what I said earlier. It might have been a little harsh…" Pit wouldn't look at me in the eye, and I giggled at the child-like behavior.

"I actually forgot about that, but thanks!" I thought I saw a smile, but when I looked again, it was already gone. Had I imagined it?

"What's up?" Pit asked.

"I was wondering where we were headed."

Ike appeared beside Pit, "I was wondering about that as well," he said.

"Oh," Pit turned and pointed to the outline of buildings in the distance. They were black silhouettes against the sky, a bright orange from the setting sun. From where we were, I could tell the town was small, but the amount of buildings it had meant there probably weren't many wide open spaces. It probably meant the town was solely focused on business and nothing else. The people most likely lived in apartments in order to save up space. Junior and I live in a more rural area, a town without a name. It was built upon the edge of a cliff, so there were always cold breezes rushing by. It was relatively small—most of the neighbors were simple farmers. Most of the town's income is money made from trade. Small businesses like the item shop and my bakery didn't do much for the town as a whole. I honestly hated the place, but it was all Junior and I knew. We woke up there after the Memory Loss, and I seriously expected to grow old and die there as well. Going into the Fields for the first time, I realized how big the world is, how many people there are out there. I'm probably going to see more cities and towns, and that would just make me see home in a whole other way. I wanted to go back. Not because the journey so far has been unpleasant, but because I know that once I see what's out there…

I would not ever want to go back.

And then what would I have? Besides Junior, the bakery was all I had…

"Allys Town. I personally hate it—the people only care about making money. There's currently an inflation going on, probably because of the new currency, which values almost to nothing."

"What do you mean?" Ike asked.

"I've only heard rumors—you know how reliable those are—but supposedly the mayor of Allys was tired of taxes, as it took most of the money that the town made. In order to escape paying them without getting the government involved, the mayor created a type of currency that wasn't what the rest of the world used, which is gold."

"I don't get it!" Junior complained, "Why is any of this important!?"

"I was getting to that," Pit said, "Allys Town uses paper money—gold is absolutely worthless over there. There is a system that trades gold for the paper money, but even if we were to trade in all the gold we had, the prices are so jacked up we wouldn't be able to buy anything."

"Wait," I said, "Does that mean we won't be able to afford a place to stay for the night?"

Pit nodded, "That's correct."

Junior whipped his head around looking at each of us to see if we were serious, "Seriously!? Are we going to sleep on the streets like some hobos?"

Pit grimaced, "I don't like it but it's our only choice. The Fields are dangerous in the night—the population of monsters spikes up exponentially."

"We are going to starve…"

"I have some food, albeit not much," Pit laughed, "We're not off to a great start, are we?"

"We're leaving the town in the morning, right?" Pit shook his head and I asked, "Why would we want to stay there?"

"It just so happens the first key is in the Allys sewer system. I'll explain later. For now, we should get a move on; we wouldn't want to be here when it gets dark." Ike nodded and went forward, the rest of us followed.

Junior tugged at my dress, "Mom, I don't like this. I'm hungry…" As if to prove his point, his stomach growled.

I sighed, "Say, Pit?"

He responded, but didn't look back, "What is it?"

"I know it's risky, but could we try looking for a Poppant?" I saw Pit cock his head, "That actually isn't a bad idea. Yo, Ike!"

"What happened?" he yelled.

"We're going Poppant hunting!" Pit replied.

Ike turned around, his nose scrunched up, "Is that a good idea? It will be dark in about an hour…"

Pit closed his eyes, "If I recall… we passed some foliage. Poppants are shy, so that should be an ideal place for one to hide."

"I remember," Ike said, "But that's some ways back."

Pit shrugged, "It's either that, or we split a sandwich."

Ike sighed, "Very well, but you three keep up the pace."

He passed us silently, not looking back to see if we were following, "Why does he always go ahead?" I asked.

"Beats me," Pit said, "But he's always been that way. He likes getting things done quick—maybe that's it?"

"Um, guys," Junior said, "He's not waiting for us to catch up."

I nodded, "Let's go."

"Here it is!" Pit announced. Up ahead were a bunch of bushes that looked prickly enough to hurt if you were to land on one. They seemed out of place in the Fields; besides the flowers, there weren't any other plants or trees. The Fields were expansive and mostly flat, with not many places to hide. If there was a Poppant, our best bet is that it is here within the bushes.

"So, what do we do?" I asked, "Kick the bushes?"

Pit shook his head, "Nah, most likely it has already taken note of our presence. In that case, we have to give it an offering."

"What do you mean?" Junior asked.

"Poppants love making presents. If we leave something on the ground, it will be tempted to get a hold of it and wrap it up."

Junior frowned, "That's weird."

Pit chuckled in agreement, "Yeah, it kinda is. Anyway…" Attached to his belt was a small bag where Pit put his hand in to take out a sandwich. I looked at it in disgust. The thing had mold growing in the corner and was half its original size having been forced to fit with Pit's other things. I don't know what he keeps in there, but something made part of the bread black. "Damn, my pen popped." Pit noticed my face, "What?" "

Were we seriously going to eat that? I'd rather starve!"

Pit rolled his eyes, "Well excuse me, princess! Not everyone is a chef like you!"

"You made it yourself?" I asked.

Pit avoided my gaze, "I worked hard in it, too."

Ike got the sandwich, "We're wasting time," he said, as he placed it on the ground and forced us to back away. After a couple yards, he said, "I think this is far enough."

As soon as he said that, there was a rustling in the bushes as a Poppant came out. It looked side to side and straight ahead. The Poppant had seen us, but I guess it felt safe with how far we were because it got Pit's sandwich and put it in a box. From its red bowl-like trousers, it got some wrapping paper and set it on the ground. It placed the box in the middle and began wrapping it.

"So," Junior began, "How long are we gonna wait?"

"I haven't actually thought of a plan yet because of Ike," Pit glared at him, "What's wrong with you? You have zero patience for everything!"

"Night is almost coming."

"Don't you think I know that!?"

"Relax, Pit, jus shoot an arrow at it," Junior suggested.

"Can't be sure if it will kill it, but it's worth a shot," Pit readied his bow and materialized a blue arrow made of light. He pulled at the end the farthest as it would let him, and closed one eye for better aim, "Maybe a charged shot? It's twice as powerful," Pit said.

"Sure," I said, "A one hit KO would be good."

"All right then." The arrow flashed and nearly doubled in size. Pit let loose and the projectile flew to the Poppant faster than my eyes could follow. It made a neat explosion, but once the flash had gone, we were able to see a freaked out Poppant with a half-done present.

"I got it!" Junior cried, and ran towards the paralyzed Poppant.

"Junior, wait!" I reached out for him, but I was too slow. The Poppant saw Junior coming for it and ran for the nearest bush. Before it was able to reach it, though, Junior lunged at the Poppant, tackling it like some sort of pro football player. He got up and turned to us, holding the Poppant in a headlock.

"Pit, shoot it!"

Pit fired an arrow, and it hit the Poppant square in the face. It exploded, leaving shadow bug remains all over Junior. The only thing left of the Poppant was its red trousers, full of presents and candy. "Sweet!" Junior kneeled down and inspected the bowl, opening presents which had food inside of them, "Come on guys, there's pizza and tacos!"

We ran over, Junior handing us each a present. I opened mine eagerly, and cheered when I saw a croissant inside. I was about to take a bite when Ike said, "Shouldn't we head back?" He's so down to earth. Couldn't he just enjoy this moment?

"Ike, just eat," I said.

"It's almost night." This again.

"We have to eat here…there'll probably be homeless people who will attack us for the food in Allys," I reasoned.

"If the people were suffering, wouldn't they leave?" Ike asked me.

I was about to respond when Pit answered Ike's question, "The mayor made Allys independent from the rest of the world… because of that, he can't let the people just leave. Besides, if the people had a choice, they would have long left Allys the moment the mayor made paper money its currency. See, you can't be a leader if you don't have people to lead. The mayor is just a stubborn guy, not wanting to resign."

Junior chewed on his pizza, "Is paper money that bad?"

"Junior don't speak with your mouth full," I scolded.

He huffed, and Pit laughed, "Allys Town is a city—so most of the food and natural resources they get is from trade. Of course, they have to pay for it, but their dollar bills have no value to other cities and towns that use gold."

"Like us!" Junior exclaimed.

Pit nodded, "Yeah… all the gold Allys gets comes from the exchange service. Despite how bad things are going, Allys is still popular for its first class resort; rich families always spend their vacations there. Because of that, all the imports are used on the resort. The people, sadly, are not considered. "

Junior's face fell, "Oh…"

We ate in silence after that. I think I could safely say no one wanted to go to such a horrible place. If only we could go back and rest at home, but I knew we wouldn't get there in time before nightfall. I sighed. I could only hope things will get better after Allys. I'm not looking forward to exploring the sewers. Seriously, of all places to put a key, why a sewer sytem? I wouldn't complain so much if it was any other place, but Allys? We traded with them all the time. I never knew such events were happening there, and I lived less than three hours away from the place. It made me realize how I didn't know much of anything. I could blame the Memory Loss for that.

I looked at Pit, who was eating a tuna sub. How did he retain his memories? Part of me felt jealous, while another part of me was suspicious. Does that mean he knew what caused the Memory Loss? A scary thought appeared in my mind— _What if _he_ caused it? That would explain why he wasn't affected…_ Angel's don't lie, though. Pit told me that himself. Yet… he said he wasn't solicitous, but didn't he apologize to me?

**(Ike's POV)**

When everyone had finished their meal, we set off to Allys Town in a hurry. The sky was turning a tint of purple; night was coming, and we still had about half an hour before we get there.

"Junior," Peach said cautiously, "Don't move."

What now? I turned around and saw Junior stiffen, "W-what is it?"

"I'll just flick it away…" Peach said, approaching Junior slowly.

"Pit, what's going on?" I asked.

"There's a live shadow bug on Junior's head," he said.

I almost felt like face palming, "Seriously, Peach? They're harmless!"

Junior frowned, "What's harmless?"

"Shadow bugs," I said.

"Shadow bugs?" Junior felt the top of his head and got the shadow bug.

"Junior, don't grab it!" Peach smacked his hand and the lone shadow bug fell on the grass.

"Aw," Junior whined, "But look at it, Mom! It looks like a purple fuzz ball," He picked it up, "I think I'll call it Dave."

"Junior, you're not keeping that thing."

"Come on, Mom! Look, it's scared," the shadow bug looked like it was trembling, "Plus, it came from a Poppant, so it can't be evil."

Peach rubbed her temples, "Junior, shadow bugs make up the monsters. What if this shadow bug turns into one overnight when we're defenseless?"

"That's not gonna happen, Mom! Please, just let me keep it!"

"NO!"

"Let the boy have it!" I cried. Peach was going to speak up, but I interrupted her, "Look Peach, you're right, but can you at least deal with this when we reach Allys!? I understand you're argument, but it takes multiple shadow bugs to actually make a monster. Your son should be safe as long as it is that one shadow bug."

"Ike—"

"We don't have all day; stop wasting our time!" I didn't wait for her response as I turned my heel and started walking.

We made it to Allys without a word.

There were many thin streets packed with homeless people. We kept tripping over them until we a found an empty alley. There were no sources of light whatsoever— not even street lamps. It was like walking blind.

"I think this is a good spot," Pit said.

"All right… Junior, stick close to me in case you get cold."

"I'm not a baby, Mom!"

Pit chuckled and sat down with his back against the wall, "You should rest, too, Ike."

"Yeah."

Junior and Peach were soon snoring softly, and I was just staring straight up at the royal blue sky, glittered with stars. I could tell from the limited view that the buildings on both sides were fairly tall. My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I can see that the alley we were in was small, but spacious. To my right a few feet away, I saw Junior and Peach sleeping together, Peach unconsciously holding her son. To my left was Pit, and I jumped when I noticed his eyes were open and staring at me.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

"No, and I won't be able to now."Pit gave a soft laugh. "Say, Pit?"

"Yeah?"

"Was it a good idea bringing those two with us?"

Instead of an answer, I got a question "Why do you ask?"

I avoided his gaze, "I guess what I'm trying to say is… is it a good idea letting a kid and his mother tag along with us on this dangerous quest?"

"You probably haven't noticed, but Junior is a pretty skilled swordsman; quick, too."

"Okay, what about Peach? She totally failed with that buckot."

Pit snorted and covered his mouth, careful not to wake our companions, "Yeah, she's not a fighter. She's pretty smart, though. She was the one who thought of looking for that Poppant."

"That was her idea?" I assumed it was Pit's.

"If it weren't for her, we would be eating my sorry excuse of a sandwich. And for being mean, you would have probably gotten the moldy part."

"What?"

Pit elbowed me, "That was pretty harsh, dude. You challenged her way of parenting."

"How did I do that!?"

"Oh, I don't know, by letting Junior keep the shadow bug? That might not seem so bad, but you showed Junior that you are superior to his mother—you completely shut her up!"

"I—"

"And if that wasn't enough, Junior will probably not pay as much attention to Peach any more, after you kind of made her cry."

I made Peach cry? "I didn't realize…"

"She only teared up, but Junior noticed it."

I stayed silent for a moment. I looked at Pit, with his head up and eyes closed. "Should I apologize?"

Pit shrugged, "As the unconditional leader of our group, I don't think I'm qualified to make that decision."

I looked over at Peach, who had buried her nose into Junior's bangs, "Junior is pretty rowdy; this is the calmest I've seen him. Still, he respects Peach. I'm sure of that."

"Don't forget about the absent father—or have you not noticed? If you play that role, Junior will probably listen to you more than her." I didn't answer, and Pit moved to a more comfortable position, "You should sleep. If all goes well, we have a long day ahead of us."

I closed my eyes, my conversation with Pit replaying in my mind. Impossible. How would yelling at Peach make me seem like a father figure to Junior? There's just no way.

"Up and at 'em!" I opened my eyes groggily to see Pit throwing me some sort of food bar.

Junior groaned, "Five more minutes…"

Peach looked tired as well, but she was up and biting into her granola bar.

"All right, listen you guys, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. We need the mayor's permission to get into the sewers. Why? I honestly have no idea. I already asked around, and his office is supposed to be in the tallest building in Allys. I scanned the area, and the tallest building looks to be at the center of the town, not all that far from here."

"Hey Pit, when are we moving?" I asked.

"In a moment, why?" He saw me look at Peach telling Junior to eat his cereal bar, "Oh, you have time."

"Thanks," I walked up to Peach, and she saw me approach, "Do you have a minute?"

She looked to the side nervously, "Sure…"

We left the alley, and once out, I faced her, "Look…"

"I'm sorry!"

I was confused, "What?"

Peach covered her face, "I'm so useless! Pit said I wasn't getting in his way, but I'm getting in yours, aren't I? I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to waste our time. I knew night was comi—"

"Peach!" She looked up, eyes red, "Look, if anything, I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have yelled at you. And… I'm sorry I made you cry…"

"That wasn't your fault…"

"Huh?"

"He was always against my judgment. You just reminded me of him for a moment." She didn't explain who she meant. I already knew. I think she knew that as well.

Junior's father.

"Augh!"

"Pit," Junior said, "Are we lost?"

"I could have sworn it was this way!"

I wasn't surprised we were lost. In fact, the moment we left the alley, I expected it. Allys Town was made in a way in which visitors would have a hard time getting around. The roads criss-crossed multiple times, and more or less looked alike. Apart from the main roads, there were thin alleys that would lead back the way we came. It's almost comical how many times we ended up in the alley where we slept last night. The tall buildings did not help whatsoever. Not only were they all the same orange color, but they eclipsed whatever was behind them, so that made us lose track of the tallest building. I lost track of the number of homeless people, as well as the number of dead bodies reduced to bone and skin from starvation. When Junior saw them, he held on to his mother, Peach rubbing the back of his head in order to comfort him.

And the smell. The people had a bad stench from living in the filth for so long. I knew it was going to rub off on us, but I couldn't blame the people for that. The one to blame was the mayor. I was actually looking forward to seeing the man—I wanted to see how much of a dirt bag he really was.

"Hold on guys," Pit flew up and looked around. He descended with a smile, "We're actually close! Come on, it's this way!" He led us pass a few turns, and finally we were before the mayor's building. It held true to its title of being the tallest building—if one were to point to the top floor, they would point straight towards the sky. "Ready?" Pit asked. We nodded and followed Pit into the building.

The inside of the building was actually gorgeous; it took my breath away. The golden floor was spotless; it actually showed our reflection, as well as the reflection of the chandeliers hanging above. The room itself was cold like in a cavern, it was spacious like one, too. Dark brown tiles that began from the doorway led straight ahead to the reception area where a woman in a tight suit and glasses was typing furiously. We approached her, and Pit cleared his throat for her attention. The woman was still typing when she said, "Welcome to the Allys Community Center… do you have any business with the mayor? And no complaints, please, I've had enough of those for the day…"

"Uh, actually, we were hoping to meet with the mayor." The receptionist glanced at Pit and his dirty tunic. We were all actually pretty filthy; she probably thought we were one of the many homeless people of Allys. I guess Pit assumed the same thing, because he waved both hands frantically, "We're travelers! We came here for permission into the Allys Sewers."

She noticed our weapons and pointed to the back, "Take the elevator to the right all the way to the top floor," the receptionist went back to her computer.

"Thanks…" We entered the small elevator, and Pit pressed the hundredth floor. Soothing music began to play as the elevator slowly ascended.

"So…" Peach began, "Who's going to do all the talking? Personally, I think he sounds terrible—I want nothing to do with him. All I'm going to say is my name."

"I'll talk to him," Pit said, and Peach sighed in relief.

I noticed Junior was being quiet, so I put my hand on his shoulder, "Hey, are you okay?"

Junior shook his head, "I've never seen so many dead bodies. In movies, they never looked so bad, so I didn't think it will bother me so much…"

I noticed the shadow bug from yesterday was resting on his head, but before I was able to question it, Pit asked, "Junior, what's really bothering you?"

Peach frowned and looked at her son. Junior's voice shook as he said, "The Originals… if they're coming at us like you said they are, does that mean they're out to kill us? In that case, does that mean we have to kill them?"

"Oh, Junior!" Peach hugged him, "Trophies are different from people. When all our lives are depleted, we don't die—we just sort of disappear as we get recreated," Peach looked at Junior in the eye, "You listen to me to me, Junior. If your life was at stake, if there was a chance you would be deleted, there is no way I would have never let you go on this quest."

"Then why were you so stubborn…?"

"Junior, it's true that we can't die, but we can still feel pain. Plus, there is a chance our lives can deplete to zero. I say we're lucky we actually go this far without any severe injuries."

This was the first time I heard of all of this. When I woke up from having amnesia, I was surprised to find out I was a trophy and not human, but this by far makes it seem normal. We can't die? What was deletion? "Pit, what's deletion?"

He gave me a blank face, "You don't know?" I shook my head, "Well, us trophies were made to fight. That's really our sole purpose. In the system that keeps the world running, there's a safety switch. If turned off, it will mean our deletion when our lives go down to zero. As it implies, once deleted, there's no way we can be recreated. It's like the trophy equivalent to death."

"Mom," Junior cried, "You lied to me!"

"Junior there's no way the safety switch can ever be turned off. Only Tabuu has access to it."

"Doesn't that mean he could switch the safety off!?"

"Junior," Peach said calmly, "That will never happen. What could Tabuu possibly gain from turning the safety off?"

I saw Pit grimace, but before I can ask him, there was a ding and the elevator doors opened.

We got out one by one, into the room of the mayor. It was actually quite small, the desk taking most of the space. The chair behind swiveled around as if the mayor was expecting us. The mayor… well… he wasn't easy on the eyes. He was short and fat, but that wasn't really a problem to me. What really disturbed me were his wrinkles. They sagged so low he could probably jump out of the building and hover down like a parachute. His hair was obviously a wig, pure white that fell to his shoulders and curled to make a circle. The guy actually wore a crown that was almost his size, and he had to stand up on his chair to meet our eye level, "Travelers, eh? We don't get many of you here in Allys."

_I wonder why._

"It's nice to meet you—I'm Naval, the mayor of this town. As for you four, what are your names, and what business do you have here?"

"You're direct, mayor, I like that. I'm Pit, and…"

"I'm Peach," Peach introduced, "And this is my son, Link."

Junior's eyes widened, "Junior! Mayor, my name's Junior!"

One must use their formal name when giving it to someone of authority, even if it was someone like Naval. I saw the man raise his eye brow, and I spoke up, "Please excuse the boy, sir, he can be a bit rowdy at times. My name is Ike, by the way."

The mayor nodded; he seemed please by the "sir".

"Anyway," Pit said, "We wanted access into the sewers."

"Oh?" The Mayor looked amused, "Why is that?"

"Uh…" Pit was struggling when Junior piped up.

"Dave!" He exclaimed.

The mayor frowned, "Dave?"

Junior pointed to the shadow bug on his head. Peach looked at it with a face that clearly said, _That thing's still here!?_ The mayor looked at it warily, "Dave shudders when there's a monster nearby, and lately he's been doing it a lot."

"He's not shuddering now," the mayor said.

"He has a certain range. In the streets of Allys he was going nuts! Pit checked the area from up above, but there was no sign of monsters. That could only mean they reside in the sewers."

Pit nodded, looking relieved, "With that logic, it makes sense why, uh, Dave is not shuddering now—we're too far up above."

"We're travelers who help exterminate monsters that have breached towns," Peach gave a smug look, "Many of my resources said there was monster activity in Allys. Me and my men came to investigate, and we found it to be true. Mayor, you will regret it if you don't give us access into the sewers. I can't guarantee that the monsters will stay down there."

The mayor thought about it, "Hmm… The boy and the mother may go."

"Why not them!?" Junior cried. Pit looked surprised as well.

"I'm not about to let a bunch of Unwanted into MY sewers. No, I won't give you two the honor of that."

Honor!? What was the honor in that!? It wasn't until I noticed Pit holding me back that I realized I had lunged at the mayor, "Thank you, Mayor Naval, we understand your decision. We'll be off now." Pit dragged me into the elevator.

I'm ashamed to admit that I enjoyed the terrified look on the mayor's face.

It wasn't until we left the building when the others bombarded me with questions:

"Ike, what the hell!?"

"What were you thinking!?"

"What set you off!?"

"Were you gonna kill him!?"

"In front of Junior—"

"Why would you do that!?"

"What's an Unwanted?" I asked.

They paused, and Pit spoke up, "There's… a class pyramid that's very well known…"

"I don't know about it," Peach said.

"That's hard to believe," Pit said, "But maybe it's because you and Junior lived with normal people. This particular pyramid divides trophies exclusively. At the top is Tabuu, of course, despite not being a trophy, he's still our 'leader'. After him are the Originals, and then, Associates. Peach, Junior, you two are Associates. Remember when I said we were based off the Original's designs?" We nodded, " Well, that's only partially true, The truth is, Master Hand created unique trophies that were unlike the Originals. In other words, Unwanted, the next class, are not based off of the Originals. In a way, we are a second group of originals, having original designs. Because of this, we are looked down upon as imposters. We're not wanted by the Originals or Associates, hence the name. Ike… you and I are Unwanted."

"That mayor Naval is a jerk!" Junior said, "He's nothing but a classist!"

"Unfortunately—or fortunate for us—there are lower classes. After the Unwanted are the Betas, trophies who Master Hand intended to be fighters, but ultimately failed in becoming official trophies. They're more commonly known as Assist Trophies."

"I've met a few of them at Daycare…" Junior said absentmindedly.

"And at the bottom of the barrel are the Recurrents—trophies with no fighting ability whatsoever." Pit said it with a smile, but it looked fake, "Anyway, enough about that. We should get you two to the sewers."

"Can't you come with us," Junior pleaded, "We can just knock out the guard or something."

Pit shook his head, "I don't want to cause any trouble. Besides, it should be easy. I don't think there are actually monsters there."

"I hope not," Peach said.

"I...I'm sorry you guys. I hope this doesn't make you lose credibility in me."

Junior smiled at me goofily, "Nah, it's fine! We all wanted to do it."

It took a while, but we found the entrance to the sewer. It was a small building that most likely led underground, with an armed guard at the door.

"This is as far as we could go," Pit told Peach and Junior, "We'll be waiting at the café—the one we passed by a block from here."

Peach nodded, "I know where it is."

"We'll see you later," Junior said.

Peach and Junior approached the guard, and Pit got my arm roughly, "Are you starting to remember?" He whispered.

"What?" he let go and started walking towards the café. Once we got there, we sat on one of the tables set outside. The streets here were mostly empty—no homeless people around. We were in the more affluent part of Allys, "Pit."

He wouldn't meet my gaze, "Since you have amnesia, I sorta expected you to be different—personality wise. I was proven wrong on our way here with your fighting ability and the way you stayed ahead; again when you were about to attack the mayor. Also when we had the conversation about Peach last night… it was like talking to the old you." He finally looked at me, and I couldn't tell what emotion he was conveying. He looked hopeful, yet scared.

"I don't remember, Pit. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said, sounding… relieved? "Anyway, I, uh, hope Junior and Peach are all right. It's only them in the sewers, after all."

I was about to reply when a voice said, "Junior? Peach?" We both turned towards the voice and saw a kid. He wasn't homeless—his clothes proved that. I saw Pit visibly stiffen, "Got more goons to do your handiwork, Pit?" The kid sneered, "I don't know how you do it."

I narrowed my eyes. What was this kid talking about? Did they know each other? I looked at Pit—why did he look so nervous? "Ike—get ready to fight."

"What?"

Pit clenched his bow tightly, his knuckles turning white, "He's an Original."


	3. Vs Ness

**(Ike's POV)**

Pit must be joking, right? He's an Original? But this was a kid; he looked to be the same age as Junior! When Pit first mentioned them, I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly did not picture… this. I had to keep in mind that they're not human—like us, they're trophies, so they don't age, at least, not dramatically. Still, I couldn't imagine this kid as a fighter. He had no weapon for starters, or at least, from what I can tell. He couldn't be a physical hand-to-hand fighter either because he didn't look built for that. I could tell he was shorter than Junior, and pretty thin, too. He wore a red and blue baseball cap turned to the side, and a striped purple and yellow T-shirt. His denim shorts were baggy, and from the bulges in the sides, it was likely he had something in the pockets. The shoes he wore were red—one of them was untied. One sock drooped lower than the other.

This was an Original.

I don't get why Pit was so nervous. Not only did he not look like a fighter, but he looked like a dork. With that smug face he had, it made me want to smack him. It was as if he knew something that we didn't, and he would only tell us if we did something for him. Pit said the Originals have been here the longest. If that's the case, I have to be careful, even if he did look harmless. Unlike me who had woken up only two days ago, this kid was a veteran who had been fighting for years.

"Ness," Pit said, "Did Mario send you?"

The kid—Ness—nodded, "Yup. It's been a long time, Pit."

"Not long enough," Pit murmured. Out loud, he said, "So, are you here to defeat us?"

Ness's smile faded, "You gotta give us more credit than that. Yes, you have betrayed our Leader, but you're still trophies, like us. Maybe Unwanted, but trophies just the same. You know how few of us there are out there."

Pit glared at Ness, "I didn't betray Tabuu. I was bringing him to justice. Can't you see that he's lying to all of us!? He's using you guys like his servants!"

Ness looked at Pit. From his face, you could tell he didn't think there was anything wrong with that, "He's our Leader. We're supposed to follow him. We all are. He created us. We owe him our existence."

"Can you believe that, Ike?" Pit asked me, "He's totally brain-washed. From the twelve Originals, it's Ness that has taken the worse of Tabuu's influence, probably because he is the youngest. He thinks Tabuu is a god. I've never liked him because of that. It's offensive to me because I work for a goddess."

This sparked my interest. It made sense, Pit being an angel, but this is the first time he has ever mentioned anything about himself. It made me wonder—what did I know about Pit? From an outsider's point of view, wouldn't he be a stranger to me? Before I lost my memory, what was I to Pit? Was I his friend? His companion? Or were we just two men with a similar goal to take out an imposter king? For all I know, he could have made the whole thing up. After all, it did strike me as odd that we were on this quest, yet we haven't obtained a single key. When did we begin our journey? Even if we had just started, why were we headed to some nameless town when Allys was about the same distance away? It just did not add up. That wasn't the only anomaly—why were we separate to begin with?

I looked at Ness. Wouldn't it be funny if it was actually him that knocked me out in the Fields? Not only because of what I initially thought of him, but because of how bulky I was compared to the boy. Ness focused on me on that exact moment and frowned, "Ike, what are you doing here?" My heart stopped. He knew my name. Not only that, but he's surprised that I was here. Don't tell me—it was in fact him that defeated me? Ness continued, "They told me you left Pit, so what are you still doing with him? Were we wrong?"

I didn't know how to respond to that. I had left Pit? When? That would explain why we were separated, but that's if what Ness said was true. Pit told me he was waiting for me in the Fields. Is it possible I had left him, but changed my mind afterward? "I don't know."

Ness was about to reply when Pit clarified, "He has amnesia. Someone knocked him out in the Fields," Pit glared at Ness.

The boy raised his hands defensively, "Don't look at me! Mario hasn't given you or Ike any regard up until now! From what I know, it couldn't have been any of us!"

Pit scoffed, "Yeah, right. What exactly did Mario order you to do?"

Ness relaxed, "I'm just here to talk. Trust me. I know you are confused Pit, and the Originals are willing to help you…"

"You think _I'm _crazy!? You are the one that's blindly following someone who isn't even our leader!"

Ness looked at Pit with sympathy, "They said you wouldn't be convinced, but I thought I would give it a shot."

Pit growled, "Talking about shots," Pit pointed his bow at Ness, "Why don't I shoot an arrow through your head!?"

"Pit," I said, "Relax." Pit scowled at me, eyes fierce. I was taken a bit by surprise at the ferocity of his expression. He realized this and looked down, lowering his weapon.

"Mario told me that if I couldn't convince you to abandon your quest with words, then I should just prevent you from getting the key," Ness took off his stuffed yellow backpack that he was wearing and rummaged through its contents. I was able to see the handle of a baseball bat sticking out, but that wasn't what Ness got. From his bag, he took out a strange orb-like object, about the size of a basketball, "I heard you mention two names—Peach and Junior, correct?" Ness slung his backpack over his shoulder.

Pit gritted his teeth, "Yes."

"Associates, right?"

"Yes," Pit repeated.

Ness sighed, "I didn't think I had anything to do since Unwanted don't have access to the sewers. I didn't expect you to form a new team. This is turning out just like your first quest…"

"What's he talking about?" I asked Pit, but he shook his head.

"It wasn't just us… there were two others…"

"Who—"

"I don't want to talk about it," he said quickly.

"I guess I made the right choice sending a Beta to the sewers," Ness said.

Pit's eyes widened, "What!?"

Ness looked at Pit with a blank expression,"You have to understand, Pit, I can't let you get the key."

"Pit," I said, "Why do you sound panicked?"

Pit turned to me, "Ike, a Beta will destroy Peach and Junior! Even if Assist Trophies are not actual fighters, they hold the advantage for not being able to take any damage! Only the person who summoned it can call it off. Until then, it will hunt down its targets!"

Ness looked amused, "You seem to care a lot about those two. Maybe we can reach some kind of consensus? How about I call off Jill in return of you giving yourself up?"

Pit was silent for a moment, "No," he said, "I swore to my goddess to kill Tabuu, and I'm not about to go back on my word."

I gaped at Pit, "What about Peach and Junior!?"

"They'll be fine."

"Pit," I tried reasoning with him, "You're putting their lives in jeopardy!"

"Are you saying we can't handle one kid? If we manage to take one life from Ness, the Beta he summoned should disappear," I was about to argue further when Pit said, "Trust me, Ike. You and I make the best of teams. We made it to Tabuu once—we can do it again."

"But we need the key," I reminded him.

Pit nodded, "The faster we defeat him, the easier it will be for Peach and Junior!"

"You say it like it's some simple task!" Ness yelled, annoyed, "I may be a kid, but I'm still an Original! Don't you dare underestimate me!"

Pit smirked, "Yeah? It's two against one."

"I can count—I'm not stupid. Nor am I ignorant enough to think I can take the two of you at once. That's why I brought this," Ness raised his hand that held the strange orb he had taken out earlier. A closer inspection made me realize that it had eyes—it was a living thing! "Pit, do you know what this is?"

Pit looked at the orb warily, "Sure, it's a Hothead."

"And you know what happens when fire is added to it, right?" Ness smiled, "It's basic science! Add heat to something that is already hot, and it will get hotter!" Flames erupted from his hands, engulfing the Hothead. In only a matter seconds, the thing had doubled in size. It literally blocked Ness when he held it, now with both hands, "I suppose it's mission accomplished if I send you into recreation. At the very least, we won't have to deal with you for some time. Enough chit-chat, though. I wanna see you guys dance!"

Ness threw the Hothead at us, Pit and I jumping out of its way. It made a u-turn, skittering towards Pit. He side stepped multiple times when I realized the thing was actually following him. Pit swung his twin blades at it, probably thinking it would push back the Hothead. Instead, the blades went through with no effect, the Hothead slamming into Pit knocking him in the air. Part of his tunic was blackened from the flames, and he shook them off in the air, "What the hell!? Hotheads aren't supposed to move like that!"Pit focused his attention behind me, "Ike, watch out!"

I got out of the way just as the arrow Pit shot hit Ness. Recovering quickly, Ness grabbed me, somehow flipping me over and sending me flying some distance away. I caught my balance and landed on my feet, skidding on the brick road of Allys before I came to a stop. How did he do that!? Ness had grabbed me, but there was no physical contact when he actually threw me. I studied Ness, and concluded that from the move he just used and the way he was standing still with his index and middle finger of both hands to his temples in deep concentration, that he was a psychic. That meant the method he used to make the Hothead larger was pyrokinesis.

Ness shook his head, "You're really heavy—and that sword of yours looks like a hindrance. All it does to you is make you slow!" As if to prove his point he ran towards me, his hands extended giving off small sparks.

I spun around him and swung Ragnell down with all the force I had, knocking Ness forward, "You know," I said, "You're not that fast either. At least I make it up by dealing heavy damage."

Ness flushed and shoved his hand into his right pocket, taking out a yoyo, "Yeah? My attacks pack a punch, too, you'll see!" Ness tried to grab me again, but I jumped over him, "That was a feint! I didn't think you'd fall for it!" Ness arched the yoyo above him. I knew I wouldn't be able to evade the attack, but what harm can a yoyo do? I cried out as something sliced through my leg vertically, and I fell, Ness dodge rolling out of the way. I stood up and winced—I didn't realize the yoyo had a razor sharp edge along its circumference like shark teeth. My left boot was stained red in the front, but I could feel the cut beginning to heal. What in the world? Suddenly, something pierced through my mind like a dagger.

_Trophies were made to fight. As such, they have a much greater stamina and healing ability than regular people._

_Huh?_

_Ike, are you even paying attention to me? _

_Of course. _

_They say your name defines who you are. I disagree with that. I believe there is more to a person than the word they are known as._

_What's your name? _

_Does it matter? We're getting off topic. Should I call you Ike? If you don't like it, I'll call you something else, something you would prefer. _

_I'm fine with Ike. What should I call you? _

_Your Damsel in Distress I never wanted to be… _

_I think I'll stick to Sh— _

_WATCH OUT!_

The voice lowered until it matched Pit's. I blinked and checked my surroundings in time to see Ness about to swing his bat. I blocked and countered, Ness blocking the edge of the blade with the yoyo. Sliding a few feet away from me, he threw a projectile that turned into a pillar of fire which I narrowly avoided.

Where was Pit!? I'm basically fighting this Original by myself! Ness swung his bat at me back to back, and I did the same with Ragnell to block the consecutive attacks. I took the opportunity to catch a glimpse behind me, and I saw Pit still having trouble with the Hothead. Somehow it was scaling the buildings either side of Pit, jumping from wall to wall in order to hit the angel multiple times. Ness caught me staring and smirked, "Isn't cool? Hotheads usually follow a single path over and over. Looks like I caught your corrupted friend by surprise."

I kicked Ness in the torso to put some distance between us, "What do you mean, 'corrupted'?"

I guess I knocked the wind out of him because he took a while to answer. He was also sweating profusely, "He thinks Tabuu is out to destroy the world. Delusional, if you ask me." He panted.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"Shut up," he said, bent down hands on his knees, "You know, I never liked fighting you. Close combat isn't really my thing."

"You look exhausted," I noted.

"Good detective skills, Sherlock," Ness said sarcastically. He stood up, wiping his brow with his arm, "I think Pit's suffered enough. Why don't you deal with Hothead? You're not as agile as Pit, and I'm more used to fighting him, anyway." Ness ran past me, and just as I was to give chase, the Hothead barreled into me. I cursed at the searing pain. The Hothead tackled me again, before I was able to recover from the last attack.

**(Pit's POV) **

Gliding did not help. Side by side stood building after building parallel to one another. I didn't think the Hothead will be able to get me from the air, but I was proven wrong. It jumped from building to building, hitting me every time. Suddenly, it just left, and I saw Ness jump over me, "You know the law of gravitation, don't you? Let me dumb it down for you—what goes up must come down!" Ness kicked me downward with enough force to send me plummeting to the street. I fell like a rock, and I groaned, Ness landing beside me, "Not doing so hot, are you?" He teased.

I got up shakily, "You don't look any better. You're sweating like a pig," It hit me, "So that's it! You're controlling the Hothead! That's why it was able to follow me. It also explains why you look so dead tired. Was this really your plan?"

A single drop of sweat ran down his face and clung to his chin, "Don't get cocky. With all the damage you have taken, it will only take a flick of my finger to knock you out."

I converted my bow into twin blades, "Yeah? I'd like to see you try!" I swung low at his legs and he jumped out of the way. I fought Ness before—it was best to fight him up close. The only long range attack I have is my arrows, and being made up of energy, Ness would be able to use his PK Magnet to heal himself if he timed it just right. In the world of trophies, there are two PK users. Ness, obviously, is one of them, the other being a boy named Lucas. Despite being one of Master Hand's more recent creations, Lucas is the better PK user. Ness is in sorts is like a Pichu—his attacks take more damage, but only because he can't control them. Not only that, but using his psi powers really take a toll on him in such a short period of time. It's the reason why he has his bat and yoyo. Ness is considered the most reckless Original, constantly overexerting himself in battle. It made sense why Mario would send him first—compared to the others, he didn't really pose a threat. Even so, one wouldn't want to be in the receiving end of his psychic attacks, especially when having taken so much damage like I did.

Ness grabbed me and lifted me up in the air psychokinetically. He flicked his yoyo up which I narrowly avoided, the steel edge passing through my bangs. Once he caught his yoyo, I tackled him, scraping his back against the ground before rocketing towards the sky. I flew above the buildings, near the transparent clouds lying motionlessly against the blue canvas. Ness struggled, but I held a firm grip on his striped shirt.

"Let go of me!" Ness ordered.

I curled my lip, "Do you seriously want me to?"

Ness looked down, his lavender eyes widening, "Put me down!" He cried, holding on to me.

"Call off the Beta!" I demanded, "Or would you prefer testing my hypothesis?"

Ness's eyes narrowed, "What hypothesis?" He asked.

"I hypothesize that if I drop you from this height, you would be dead before you hit the ground."

Ness scoffed, "That's impossible! The fall wouldn't kill me—what would kill me is the sudden stop. You see, the amount of kinetic energy that bui— "

I didn't let him finish, "You're such a nerd, you know that? You are right, though. By building up speed, the chance of you surviving dwindles to zero."

"No, don't!"

I ignored his cries and somersaulted in the air, flinging him down once I made three revolutions.I had to give props to Ness for not screaming, although it might be that he couldn't. He was falling head first and gaining speed fast. I flew down after him so that we were face to face. I was surprised to see his eyes open and glow, Ness forming a fist with both hands and throwing a disc at me, which I soon realized was PK fire. At first I thought he missed, but I cursed when I realized he had aimed at my wing. Flapping my wings only made it worse, and the small flame expanded, burning my feathers. I flipped over and attempted to put out the fire with my hand. I was successful, but bone was now visible, and the hole it made got me unbalanced. I tipped over and descended slowly, wavering a bit like a tipsy angel. Ness was still plummeting down, but he had curled up in apparent concentration. I ignored him and focused on getting to the ground myself, biting my lip at the pain on my left wing. Once my feet made contact with the earth, I fell to my knees, supporting myself up with my hands. I looked ahead at Ness, and I guess he was able to stop his fall in time since he stood before me alive and well. He was breathing heavily, probably still a bit traumatized, "It's over, Pit." Ness held his bat, and just as he was about to swing, Ike came out of nowhere and kicked Ness in the chest, sending him flying in the other direction. Ness landed on his side and rolled multiple times, getting up shakily.

Ike focused his attention on me, "Pit, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said.

"You're wing…" he trailed off.

"It will heal. Let's just finish him off." Ike nodded and yelled when he saw Ness running away, "After him!" We ran in pursuit, cornering Ness in a dead-end alley.

Ness turned, "You two are so hasty. Don't you think it will be easier for a Hothead to go back and forth in this thin alley?" I swerved around, "Ike, jump!" The Hothead rushed at us, and Ike jumped—although instead of going past him, it went straight up. The walls were closed in enough to make it possible, and Ness took advantage of that by using PK thunder on the Hothead, making it give off sparks. I growled and ran to the Original, grabbing him and throwing him up in the air. I charged an arrow and aimed it upward, shooting Ness at his torso sending him higher up in the air. I wall jumped the walls of the two buildings, since I couldn't fly with an injured wing. Ness landed on my shoulder and I threw him onto the roof of the building.

"I' m getting annoyed—let's do this how it's always been, one on one."

Ness got up, "Why are you attempting this quest again? It will only end in a failure just like the last time."

I ignored him and came at Ness with the sharp end of my bow. Ness blocked with his bat, "Tabuu is a god! You stand no chance against him!"

"Tabuu is no god." I applied my weight into our clashed weapons, forcing Ness to lean back, "You know who is? My goddess, Palutena. I am loyal to her, not that damn tyrant Tabuu!"

Ness pushed forward and jumped back, putting distance between us, "Palutena's gone. Besides her, who do you have on your side? Olimar and Sonic have been captured."

"What?"

Ness shrugged, "Sad, really. They put up a great fight."

"You're lying!" I cried.

Ness smirked, and continued, "There's Peach and Junior, but will Peach want to stay if she were to know her ex husband is an Original?"

"I'm sure she knows. She's not stupid—I'm sure she figured that out by now." My voice shook in the end, and Ness took note of it.

"You need all the help you can get, don't you? You know, I bet you're the one that knocked Ike out in the Fields."

I lost it, "What's it to you!?" Ness smiled, and I froze. I turned slowly to see Ike standing behind me.

**(Ike's POV)**

He didn't deny it. It was him. I knew it, my suspicions were correct. Pit was about to say something, but I spoke first, "The Hothead disappeared. I thought I would help you out."

"Ike—"

I raised my voice for the second time, "Just tell me why, Pit, why would you take my memories!?"

"Ike, it wasn't me!"

"It's a bit too late to play innocent, don't you think!?"

"Have some faith!" Pit begged, "I'm your friend! I would never do anything to hurt you!"

"How do I know you're not lying about this, too?" I challenged him.

"It's simple logic! If I were to have really knocked you out in the Fields, wouldn't I be the one to have woken you up, not Junior?"

"Why did you want to rendezvous at some nameless town when Allys was so close?"

Pit frowned, "What!?"

"Why?" I demanded.

"To stock up on items. It's cheaper there than in Allys."

"Why were we separated?"

Pit avoided my gaze, and sighed in defeat, "It's true, okay? What Ness said. You did leave me. I did something unforgivable, and you left me for that. I begged you to stay with me, but you didn't. Years later, I sent you a letter, saying that I would be attempting the quest again. I told you to meet me in Fields, but of course, I didn't really think you'd show up." Pit looked up at me, and I was taken by surprise at the tears in his eyes, "I searched the Fields, a little part of me hoping you'd be there. You weren't... When I went into the nameless town and saw you there, you wouldn't believe how happy I was…"

"How do I know all of this to be true?" I asked.

"Don't you have the letter?" I checked my outfit, but saw that I had no pockets. There was a small bag attached to my belt, and I put my hand in, my fingers feeling the smooth texture of paper. I took it out and unfolded it. Sure enough, it was by Pit. I didn't read it all, but I knew it was basically what he said. "Look, I'm not as honest as I make myself to be, but I wouldn't lie about this. I need you, Ike. You and I are the only ones that remain from the original group. I know your strengths and weaknesses, as you do mine. You were one of the few that believe me about Tabuu and his treachery. It's because of that that I told you of my second attempt, even if it was unlikely you'd join."

I breathed out slowly, "It makes sense. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"What!?" Ness threw his hands down, "You were right to doubt him! It was Pit that knocked you out in the Fields!"

I glared at Ness, "Shut it, kid. Pitting us against one another is a dirty trick."

"Some would call it strategic," Ness darted to Pit, lifting him up over his head and spinning him a couple times before launching him up. I was about to aid Pit when I thought of an idea. I remembered when Ness tried lifting me, and although he was successful in throwing me, it took much of his energy; he was a sitting duck for a good while. Pit must be lighter than me, or else it would have taken Ness much more effort to lift him off the ground. After he had used his psychic powers on me, Ness had complained about it, saying I was too heavy...

Pit landed hard on his back, rolling out of the way when Ness threw a pillar of fire where he was before. When he got up, Ness made a grab for him, but before he was able to lift him up, I pushed Pit out of the way so I would be lifted instead. I rose a couple inches before Ness cried out and I was released. He grabbed the sides of his head in pain, eyes shut tight.

"Pit was panting, "What happened?"

"He strained his mind," I explained, "Come on, I'll grab him, you shoot," I grabbed Ness, the boy in no position to fight back. I got him in a headlock and faced Pit, who was already charging his attack. The arrow doubled in size.

"You'll regret this," Ness said, an empty threat.

"Yeah?" Pit taunted, and he let the arrow fly.

"Yeah," he mumbled, only audible enough for me to hear, "I didn't summon the Beta."

My eyes widened as the arrow made contact with Ness, the boy disappearing in a blue explosion. A few seconds passed, and Ness materialized at the edge of the roof we were in. Instead of saying anything, he made a run for it, Pit about to give chase.

"Wait," I told him.

He turned to me, "Ike!"

"We have to get to the sewers—it wasn't Ness that summoned the Beta. He told me right before he was defeated."

Pit cursed, "We have to hurry!" He jumped over the side of the building, landing on the fire escape. I did the same. "Peach...Junior..."It was more for Pit than for me, "Please be all right!"


	4. The Allys Sewers

**(Junior's POV) **

The guard stood with his back erect, body facing straight ahead. Heavy armor and a helmet concealed the man beneath. In that way, he was intimidating to me. Something about authority always made me feel uneasy. Mom approached him without the slightest hint of fear. Sometimes, I don't know how she does it. She's scared of the dumbest things, but when it comes to stuff I'm afraid of, she can handle it better than anyone. I remember one time when burglars broke into the bakery. A sudden loud noise had woken me up, the sound of glass shattering made me jump in bed. My heart thumped in my chest so loudly I thought it would burst out. Mom came into my room, her index finger to her lips telling me to be quiet. I nodded, terrified, and Mom led me into the closet where we both huddled up in the corner. There was no police or any sheriff in town, mostly because there was no need of them. No one had any weapons either—this was after Dad just left; it was a few months since the Memory Loss. I didn't know how to use a sword, and for all the begging I did to Dad to teach me, he stated I was too young. I hated that feeling. Helpless, having to hide while letting the burglars having their way with all the money Mom had earned, money from the bakery she had just recently got. I hugged Mom tightly, shameful tears spilled down my cheeks. She noticed I was sobbing from my choked breaths, and she brushed her fingers through my hair, which was strangely comforting. I was glad Dad had left, but I had never felt so insecure. The harsh truth was, we needed him. Especially Mom. The happiest I've ever seen her was in my earliest memories when it was the three of us. She loved him. I didn't. So why, why was it that his abandonment affected me more? If Dad was here, he would have gone downstairs to beat up those bad people. But, no. He wasn't here, and it was only Mom. She wasn't a fighter like Dad. And for all the power I wish I had, at that moment I wished to be like my Mom—

Fearless.

Not only that, but calm. She may not be able to confront the burglars, but at least she had the courage to come into my room and keep me safe. If they were to have come up stairs, I'm sure Mom would have fought them, if it meant I wouldn't get hurt. I never wanted Mom to do that again. I wanted to be the one to protect her. Come to think of it, that's also when the itch first began. Mom didn't like it when I was violent, but I learned in Daycare that being the "bully" made people not want to mess with me. Fighting with the other kids and beating them made me feel so good, and it also got rid of the itch. I don't know if it made me stronger, but it did make me feel secure. I hate it when Mom cries at my behavior, but I can't help it. This itch… the more I ignore it, the more tempting it gets to relieve it. And no, scratching does not help.

"We got permission from Mayor Naval for entry into the Allys Sewers," Mom told the guard.

He showed no sign of having heard her but a nod, "I was informed. Peach and Junior, correct?"

"Yes."

"You may pass," the guard said, stepping aside so we could have entry into the small building behind him.

Once Mom and I were inside, the door slammed with a deafening bang, one that echoed across the room. It was strange—the only thing here was a large green pipe in the center. The rest of the room was empty; the walls, ceiling, and floor were made of grey cement. It was as if the architect wanted the pipe to be the center of attention.

"Well," Mom began, "For our sake I hope this is all there is."

"Mom, I'm sure we have to go down the pipe."

She sighed, "I know, Junior, it's just wishful thinking." We walked up to the pipe and looked inside. There was a lack of light, but once my eyes have adjusted, I was able to see that it curved like a sort of slide. "I'll go first—follow me once I say the coast is clear." Mom sat at the edge of the pipe and swung her leg over, a difficult task for someone in a dress.

"Hey, Mom?" I asked.

She swung her other leg over so that both legs were in the pipe, "Yes, Junior?"

"Do you remember when the burglars broke into the bakery?"

I couldn't see her face since her back was facing me, but I could tell that she hunched over a bit, "Vividly. I was terrified…"

I blinked, "You were?"

She gave me a small laugh, "Of course."

"That's not the way I remember it. You were so calm…"

"A parent has to be in front of their children. I was scared, but I was more worried for your safety. I guess that's why I didn't give off that kind of vibe."

"Mom…"

"One's stronger when they have something to protect. I think you should know that." Mom hopped in the pipe sliding silently into the sewers. After a couple of seconds, her voice echoed through the pipe, saying it was all right for me to come.

I jumped in and slid through the pipe. It was longer than I expected, and kind of fun. I couldn't see what was in front of me until I had gotten out of the pipe, landing on my butt. "Ow…" I looked around, wondering if I was hallucinating. This was the Allys Sewers? It looked like a kid had built it with legos. The floor was made of blue plastic bricks, strangely enough, and the walls looked like they belonged in some sort of medieval castle with torches illuminating the entire hall. The walls closed in on us from both sides, and the only way ahead was through another green pipe. Everything was fake, even the torches with a closer inspection turned out to be fire-shaped light bulbs.

Mom came from behind me, "At least it doesn't stink in here…"

"Mom, I have to tell you something."

She walked on ahead, feeling the wall with her right palm, "What is it?"

"I-I think there's something wrong with me," I stammered.

Mom turned, "Junior, there's nothing wron—"

I cut her off, "You don't understand!" I held myself and avoided Mom's frown, "I get this itch, and the only way to relieve it is by fighting. It's the reason why I'm violent in Daycare…"

I heard her sigh, and she kneeled so she was eye level with me, "Junior, I get the 'itch', too."

I blinked, "What?" She held on to my shoulders, "And I'm sure Pit and Ike get it as well."

"Wha? Bu—eh?" I sputtered nonsense and Mom gave me a small smile.

"It's normal for trophies. Since we were made to fight, our bodies are used to us doing the activity often. If we spend too long without fighting, we become restless, getting what you describe as an itch."

I tried to make sense of what she just told me, "How are you always a pacifist!?"

Mom shrugged, "Cooking helps subside the itch. I always hoped that would work for you, too, but you were never interested in it. I'm sure if Link was still with us, he would have taught you how to suppress the feeling…" I tensed the moment his name was mentioned, and Mom shook her head, "This is my fault. I should have looked for ways to help you. The truth is, I don't know anything. All my memories derive from the time I have lived in X. The little I do know are tidbits of what your Father has told me."

"What did he tell you?" I asked.

"The fundamentals. The fact that we're trophies, and the way that we operate."

I hate it when she talks about him, but I might as well ask her while we're in the topic. I knew what her answer was going to be, but that was just assuming, I had to know for sure. Although…wasn't it obvious? When was the last time I heard her laugh? "Do you miss him?"

She seemed shocked that I would ask her that, and I kept my eyes locked on her expression. It softened, "Everyday," she said, "You may not know this, but it's my fault he left."

I knew that, but for her to confess this was big. Would she tell me what happened if I asked? "What do you mean?"

She got up, "I'm sorry Junior, I don't want to talk about it…"

I gritted my teeth, _You don't want to talk about how "Dad" hit you that day?_ Neither was aware that I was watching through the crack of the open door. They were arguing. Mom was yelling at him, crying, screaming why he would do such a thing. He wanted her attention. He wanted her to listen. He lost his temper. He smacked her, ordering her to let him speak. I didn't know what to do. Dad always seemed passive, especially to Mom. She was shocked at first, but then her face contorted to anger, and she held her injured cheek.

_"Leave!" _

_"Peach…" he reached out for her, but she backed away. _

_"Get out of my house! Leave, and never come back!"_

He nodded slowly and left the house without a word.

That was the last time I saw him. I'm glad, though. Mom deserves so much better. Link was lucky they were even together. I bet he regrets it now, right? How could he have hit her like that?

Mom and I entered the second pipe together. We landed on a similar hallway, but it had doorways that led to rooms. Mom pointed to the one to the right, and upon entering, saw that it was absolutely empty. The one to the left was the same. We went through another pipe.

He hit her. How could she miss him?

Hallway after hallway, room after room. We couldn't get lost, the Allys sewers were basically a single path with branching rooms, all empty.

That answer—Everyday. Was she that into him?

Mom tried making conversation, but gave up when I gave her one word replies. She kept stealing glances at me, and when I caught her looking, she gave of a squeak, most likely because I sent her a glare.

It's been years, and she still loves the guy.

She looked my way again, and I screamed, "WHAT!?"

Mom jumped, "I'm sorry! It's just…" Mom pointed to the area above my head, "The shadow bug has been jumping like crazy. It's really freaking me out."

"Dave?" I cupped my hands over Dave, and brought them down so I can get a good look at him. Mom was right—he was jumping and shuddering. I was surprised I didn't notice it, but then again, Dave was so light, I could barely feel him in the palm of my hand. "That's strange…maybe there's a monster nearby?"

I literally heard Mom swallow a wad of saliva, "I-I thought you made that up…"

I placed Dave on my shoulder, the shadow bug continuing to jump and tremble, "I did. It's a possibility, though. Wouldn't it make sense? You said so yourself monsters are made up of shadow bugs. Maybe shadow bugs can detect other shadow bugs."

"No… it's a weird reaction. It's like the shadow bug is scared."

I shrugged, "Just ignore him."

Mom looked unsure, "Yes, it's probably nothing… Pit did say there were no monsters in the sewers…"

I could tell she was nervous, so I tried to comfort her, "Even if there are monsters, I would be sure to keep you safe."

Mom started to smile, but then she shrieked, "Junior, behind you!" I whipped around, but saw nothing, "Down!"

I looked down and saw a… line? It turned, and I realized it was some pixilated orange crab, "What the hell is this?"

"It's a monster! Junior, kill it!"

"Mom, it's just a crab," I said.

"With two dimensions!?"

"Well, it is kind of weird…"I agreed, "But it's cute, too."

I reached out for it, but just as I was about to touch the crab, its pincer bit down on my fingers, "YOW!" I waved my hand like crazy, but the crab held on as if it wanted to take my fingers with it. Mom grabbed the crab to get it off me, but it got her wrist with its other pincer.

"EEK!" Mom slapped the crab with her free hand, but that just made it angry, making it put more pressure into its grab. "Junior, get closer to the wall!"

"Why!?"

"Just do it!" I did, and mom put her palm against the crab's front, slamming it against the wall repeatedly. Its grip loosened, but it still held on firm.

"Mom, move your hand!" She did, and I cut through the crab vertically with my sword. The crab dissolved into shadow bugs, dying on the blue floor. I held my hand, a bold red line marking three of my fingers. I bit my lip, and saw that mom had a tear on her glove, along with a red slit beneath it.

"I'm going to kill Pit," she said.

"Let's just move on…" From the corner of my eye, I saw Dave jumping again—he stopped when I killed the crab, didn't he? I turned and pulled Mom's dress.

"What's wrong?"

"I think we should move on... _now_…" Mom followed my gaze and gasped. Behind us was a horde of crabs.

"THAT'S IT, AFTER THIS WE'RE LEAVING!"

How is Mom so fast in that dress? It was almost hard to keep up with her, "It's okay! Tomorrow when this is all over, we'll find ourselves laughing about this!"

Mom looked back to give me a face, but instead saw more of the crabs hot on our tails, "We're gonna die!" she wailed. I was about to reply, but heard a strange whirring sound coming from a distance. It sounded like it was coming from beyond the walls, but that was impossible, wasn't it? The crabs were getting closer, and I figured we wouldn't be able to outrun them any longer. I reached into my sack attached to my belt and took out one of the few bombs I had in stock. Without really aiming, I threw it behind me and tackled Mom to the ground so that we wouldn't be caught in the explosion. Mom cried as we hit the ground, and the bomb detonated, black smoke spreading across the hall.

Mom coughed, "What the hell was that!?"

"It was a bomb," I looked back and waited for the smoke to clear. When it did, I saw a bunch of the crabs upside down, presumably knocked out.

"A bomb?" I realized Mom was still on the ground, and I got off her so she would be able to get up. She dusted the front of her dress, "So, um, Junior, may I ask why you have a bomb?"

I froze, "Well, uh…"

"Junior," she said a little bit more sternly, "Why do you have bombs!?"

While thinking up of an answer, Mom unhooked my pouch from its belt. I made a desperate grab for it, but Mom held it out of my reach, "Mom, give it back! This is invading my privacy!"

She ignored me and peered inside, her face draining of color, "O-oh my god! Junior, are you some kind of assassin!?"

"Mom don't be ridiculous," I had my hand out stretched, but Mom held on to my pouch.

"Why on earth would a kid need these kind of things!? Junior, I don't think you get the gravity of this situation. _These are weapons of war!" _

"And I'm a trophy!" I argued, "I think I need weapons to defend myself with!"

"I get that, but bombs!? What if they go off while you're asleep!?"

"Why do you always think something bad is going to happen when I fall asleep!?"

She held up a finger, "Don't change the subject!"

"Why are you yelling at me!? I just saved our lives!"

"That's beside the point!" Mom cried.

"Well, what is the point?" I challenged.

"The point is, the promise we made meant nothing to you! I told you to never get in a fight, and what do you do? Go to the Fields when I think you're doing community service!"

I groaned, "You're bringing this up now?"

Mom ignored my question, "A sword is bad enough, but bombs? The boomerang isn't so bad, but a bow!? Not only that, but a hookshot!? These are all dangerous weapons! And what's with this baton!?"

"It's a Wind Waker…"

"Why would you buy these weapons!? Junior, you can get hurt!"

"Mom," I said in a calm tone, "I've had them since the Memory Loss. They belong to me."

Her eyes widened, "That can't be…"

"Can I have my bag back?"

"Did Link teach you how to use any of them?"

"What?"

My reply seemed to have satisfied her, "Never mind."

"Mom—"

"I didn't say anything," She handed me my bag.

"Mom."

She frowned, "Do you hear that?" I thought she was trying to squirm her way out of the topic, but I heard the whirring sound again, "It sounds like a drill."

"I'm sure it's nothing," I said, "Tell me about Dad. Was he supposed to teach me how to use these items?" Mom stayed silent. That was enough to tell me the whole story, "You told Dad not to teach me how to fight!"

"What!?" she cried, "Don't be absurd! He's the one that—" Mom caught herself and clamped her mouth shut.

"He's the one that what?"

The whirring sound got louder.

"Nothing."

It was coming from behind the sewer walls.

"There's something you're not telling me!"

It almost hurt to hear.

"Junior, forget about it."

The sewers began to shake.

"Mom, why did you tell Dad to leave!?"

The rumbling got worse.

"Junior, I think we should move—"

I was about to protest when Mom pushed me out of the way. A hole was made in the bricked wall, and out of it came a drill. I was confused at first at the fact that the drill appeared to have legs, but the dust cleared to reveal a short girl with pink hair in two curled up pigtails. She was riding a mech with a drill on front, magenta in color. She turned to face us and I gasped.

"Jill!?"

She also seemed shock, and I saw that Mom recognized her as well. Jill approached us, taking heavy steps, "Junior? Peach? What are you two doing in the sewers?"

"We could ask you the same thing…" Mom said.

"It's none of your business—unless you two are the ones after the key?"

I got a bad feeling and was about to say no, when Mom said, "Why, yes, we are looking for a key."

I smacked my face and Jill smiled, an evil gleam in her eye, "Is that so?" Jill focused her attention on me, "Say, Junior, remember when I said you'll regret bullying Lucas at Daycare?"

Sure. She tells me that every time I do it. Not only is it annoying, but I can't do anything but give her empty threats. Jill is an assist trophy, so she can take any hits that are thrown at her. She can't hurt me either unless a trophy was to give her the command, so we're always in a constant deadlock. The fact that she's here means that she must have been summoned, and if that's the case, Mom and I are in trouble. Back to Lucas, he's just some kid I bully at Daycare. Honestly, I'm just trying to help him. He's such a wimp, so I fight him to toughen the boy up. He never fights back, though, and I'm seen like the enemy. So because of that, I just hurt him. It's not my fault, he totally let's me. All he does is give feeble demands telling me to stop. He sounds like a girl, he wears awfully bright shirts, and his cow-lick makes his hair look like blond turd. Seriously, if he did not want to be bullied, he wouldn't act like such a pansy. At the first day of Daycare when I found out he was a trophy, I thought he could be my friend. The first time we met was… terrible to say the least, and Jill only made it worse. She's the one that said fighting is bad, that she can't believe the world runs on fighting. Lucas agreed with that philosophy. It's because of Jill that he does not fight back. It didn't help that at the time the itch I had was unbearable. You couldn't blame me for attacking him. I swear, Jill is such a hypocrite. I f she was such the pacifist, what is she doing here in the Allys Sewers!? Taking a walk!? No, she was most likely sent to eliminate us, which meant—it was an Original that summoned her.

I kept my eye on Jill, "Of course. You're voice sounds like nails across a chalkboard. It's impossible to forget anything you say."

Jill scoffed, "Well, I'll have you know, he's friends with Ness."

She said it with so much confidence, I thought I missed something, "Um, who's Ness?"

Jill blinked and cried out, "How can you not know who Ness is!? He's only an Original that happens to be around our age!"

"Oh," what she said suddenly hit me, "Oh!"

"'Oh!' is right! I could finally get back at you for being mean to Lucas!"

I gave her a questioning look, "And you're going to get back at me by killing me? That contradicts everything you've ever said. Whatever happened to, 'Fighting is bad'?"

Jill sneered—I've never seen her like this— "Well that's because I couldn't do it before. Now…" The drill spun slowly at first, but it quickly gained speed until the spiral of the drill was a blur. With a cry, Jill ran for us, and I grabbed Mom's wrist.

"Hurry, I don't think Jill can follow us through a pipe."

Mom was silent, probably shocked at Jill's behavior. Simply put, Jill was the model student at Daycare. She was courteous to her elders, cooperative to her peers (not including me), and a straight A student. Mom actually had the nerve to say I should be more like her. She was popular, friends with everybody in Daycare (again, not including me). It made me wonder what they'd do if they were to see Jill like this. Did Lucas know this side to her?

We ran for the pipe, and dove in at the same time. I heard the drill slow to a stop and Jill curse. The whirring started again, and I could only guess from the sound that Jill was digging through the wall, "We gotta move!"

Mom found her voice, "But Jill is a sweet girl! Why would she attack us!?"

We entered another pipe, "She never liked me," I said, "Because I never liked her. She can't stand the idea of someone not liking her. I knew she was such an attention whore, but I never thought she would go this far."

"Junior!" Mom scolded. I shrugged, entering another pipe. I waited for Mom to come after me, "It's true."

"Maybe she wouldn't be so bad if you never bullied that Lucas boy."

"It's her fault I bully him."

"Oh?" The tone she used suggested that she did not believe me.

"Well, she's the catalyst. Lucas is a trophy, so I thought fighting him would be the ideal way to get rid of the itch. Because of Jill, though, he believes that fighting is wrong and barbaric. Because of that, I fight him by force."

"That doesn't really justify you bullying him."

"The kid has magical powers. Being a pacifist is one thing, but refusing to defend yourself is another. Lucas has potential. Jill made him a wimp."

"Do you like Lucas?" Mom asked me.

"I really wanted him to be my friend. I kind of screwed up the first time we met. The guy who said first impressions last the longest is right…"

I never had friends at Daycare. I'm sorry, that's false—I had a friend at one point—but she moved away. Contrary to what you might think, it wasn't because of my behavior. The itch hadn't started until Link had left us. No… the reason I had no friends was because I was different. In the beginning, I was the only trophy there. I tried making connections, but I was more the kind of kid you say hi to just to be polite. Penny, the teacher, most times ended up as my partner in group activities. That was, until Lucas came. Sure I hit him when we first met, but since the both of us were trophies, we were always paired together. Being with his bully, Lucas was always quiet, but personally, it was nice to have someone other than the teacher helping you create a poster. I would never admit this to him because of what he might think, but I considered him a friend.

Dave started twitching, and I came to a stop. Mom asked, "What's wrong?"

"Dave's shuddering…" I replied, studying the shadow bug, "I think there are enemies ahead."

"Well, we can't stay here." Mom was right. All the time we have been running, the sound of Jill's drill followed us. In a few moments, she would most likely catch up.

"So we move forward?"

Mom nodded, "I have a feeling this is the last room."

We entered the pipe, sliding down for quite a while before we landed on a brick floor that was a reddish brown this time. The room was the largest compared to all the hallways that made up the rest of the Allys Sewers. The ceiling was so high, I couldn't tell where it ended. The fact that the walls were black did not help. The only reason everything was visible was because of the fake torches scattered across the walls, illuminating the colossal room. There was a huge green pipe attached to the opposite wall, going up beyond the high ceiling. The opening was like a vacuum, and based on that, it was my guess that it was the way out of the sewers. If that was the case, where was the key?

"Junior, there's a lever," I followed Mom's finger to a mechanical lever that was sitting before us, "It probably does something."

"Most levers do," I said, and Mom huffed at my sarcasm. I turned the lever to the opposite direction, and the sewers began rumbling. The ground shook and Mom pointed up.

"Junior, look!" I looked up and saw that multiple platforms were coming out of indentations that lined up the wall. Made of blue plastic bricks, the light from the lanterns gave them a soft glow.

"The key… it must be up there," I said.

There was a sudden crash as Jill drilled her way through the wall to the right. She saw us and automatically aimed her drill to our direction.

"Quick, Junior, climb up these platforms!" Trophies jump higher than normal people. Climbing up wasn't a difficult task, but running from a psychotic girl in a mech definitely was. I thought she would be too heavy to come after us, and as I was right to believe she couldn't jump, Jill was able to dig upward within the wall and make her way into our platform. "I-I think we can reach the platform over there." We both jumped, Mom barely landing on the edge. I looked back to see that Jill had disappeared.

"Let's just rush to the top, get the key, and hurry back down. We wouldn't want to be caught in Jill's drill…"

We climbed higher and higher, Dave getting more restless, "Junior—"

"I know," I interrupted, "It's probably just Jill's presence."

"I don't think so."

"Huh? Woah!" Mom pulled me back. The platform we were in had a pipe, and from it, a pixilated monster came out. It wasn't a crab this time—it was a turtle. We avoided the 2D reptilian, only to see that the next platform also had a pipe spawning turtles. The turtle took note of us and slowly made its way to Mom and me.

"Ignore them!" Mom ordered, pulling me.

"We can't!" I cried, "There'd be too many on the way back!"

"How many bombs do you have left?"

I was surprised she would resort to that, "Two…"

Mom bit her lip, "If we're lucky, that should be enough."

We made our way to the last platform. Instead of a pipe, there was an altar made of marble. The key should have been there, but instead it was in Jill's hand. She smiled cruelly, "Interested in this?"

I was going to snatch it from her, but Mom held me in place, "Jill, we need that key."

Jill looked up as if considering whether she should give us the key or not, "Too bad. Ness's orders were to not let the Defyers get their hands on the key."

"Defyers?"

"Anybody who would dare oppose Tabuu," Jill explained. I pushed Mom, who staggered back. I made my way to Jill and grabbed the key from her hand, "Hey!" she cried. I quickly made my way back to Mom.

She held me close, "Junior, why would you do that!? She's dangerous!"

"I got the key, didn't I? Let's hurry ba—" My breath got caught in my throat. The platform below us was almost entirely covered in green shelled turtles. Mom saw this, and her grip on my shoulder tightened.

Jill laughed, which echoed across the room, "Trophies—I swear! They are so vulnerable! Pain must suck, am I right? It makes me wonder… What would hurt more? Getting bitten to death, or being impaled by this drill?" Jill cackled sadistically, "I love Ness, I really do, but sometimes he doesn't think strategically. Mario on the other hand… He's the Leader of the Originals for a reason! While Ness told me to prevent anybody from getting the key, Mario ordered me to eliminate any who would try to do just that. I'm not about to disobey orders, especially from the man who summoned me." Jill's drill spun faster than I had ever seen, so fast, in fact, that a whirlwind was starting to take shape, "No more fooling around! Entering third gear mode!"

I felt Mom's hand fumbling in my pouch, "Mom?" I asked.

She whispered, "On my call, jump." I nodded, and Mom dropped the bomb she got on the platform below us. Jill charged at us, coming at an alarming speed, "Now!"

We jumped back, catching Jill by surprise, "I prefer getting bitten to death," I said, mocking her. The bomb exploded, and Mom and I were enveloped in smoke.

**(Peach's POV)**

I was coughing when I landed on the platform. The smoke stung my eyes, and when I looked around to find Junior, I realized that would be impossible. I bit my lip, thinking we should've held hands so we wouldn't lose one another. "Junior! Make your way down!"

"Okay!" He already sounded like he was below me. I made my way down, and there was another explosion. I smiled, thinking that we would be able to get past the turtles without a problem. The pipes which they come out from were only on the last couple of platforms leading to the altar. At this rate, getting down and leaving the sewers would be easy. Unless… Where was Jill?

Just as soon as I thought that, the platform I was on began to move. They were returning back into the wall! The smoke had cleared up a bit, and I saw the next platform was already too far away for me to make it. My back was pressed against the wall, and my heart pumped in my chest as I stood on my toes, the last of the platform disappearing under me. Time seemed to slow down as I frantically looked for anything that I could possibly hold on to. Nothing. There was only pixilated turtles falling with me. I began to descend, my front facing the brick floor. I saw Jill at the bottom, looking up and smirking, having turned the lever.

Was this really how I was going to go? Would this fall kill me? Even if it didn't, Jill would be waiting, and I don't think I would be able to recover fast enough to escape. My falling speed escalated and then came to a sudden halt as I landed. It felt as if my front was flattened, like when you drop cake. The whole thing splatters, losing its shape. My body was in pain, but I don't think I've broken anything…

Turtles began landing all around me like drops of rain, most landing on their shells unable to get up. I looked around hoping to find Junior. I finally saw him, struggling to get up, Jill coming towards him with her drill spinning. "No…" my voice was weak, "No…" Junior said it was impossible to hurt a Beta, but there has to be a way. If not, wouldn't they overpower us trophies? I reached out, my hand shaking. My fingers met with a turtle, and I figured it was worth a shot. Ignoring the pain, I got up, grabbing the turtle on the way. I lurched towards them, limping my way to Jill. I wouldn't get to her in time. In mere seconds, Junior would be impaled. I picked up my face and pulled my arm back. Then, with all my strength, I cried out at the top of my lungs, "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY SON!" Jill faltered, and I took the opportunity to throw the turtle at her. I didn't know what to expect. Being a realist, a part of me suspected the turtle would just bounce off Jill's mech. Instead, the machine combusted the moment the turtle made contact. Jill was launched in the air, and she landed with a thud, unconscious. I ran to Junior, embracing him. At that moment, I didn't care that he broke his promise. I didn't care that he was a bully. I didn't care about his shadow bug pet perched on his shoulder. I cared that he was alive. He hugged me back weakly.

"That was wicked…"

"Maybe," I agreed, "But I never want to go through that again…"

"All right…" I let go of Junior, and he showed me the key he had in his hand, "We got the key. Let's leave this place."

"Junior…" I looked at Jill's motionless body. Junior followed my gaze.

"Mom you're not thinking—"

"We can't just leave her here," I reasoned.

"Sure we can," he said with a scowl.

"Junior, she could get attacked by the turtles. I don't think they'll stay helpless for long."

Junior gritted his teeth, "She tried to kill us."

"Junior…"

"Besides, she's a Beta. She can't feel pain."

"She can't feel pain from trophies," I corrected, "She can still feel pain from everything else. Didn't you see what happened when I threw the turtle at her? Junior—"

"Fine!" He walked over to her and threw Jill over his shoulder. "Can we go now?" He asked, annoyed.

I smiled, "Of course."

We approached the pipe, and Junior threw Jill in as one would throw a trash bag to a dumpster truck. It sucked her in, and Junior went next. I went after him. When the pipe went upward, I felt like I was flying. I thought of Pit at that moment—is this what it feels like to fly? The pipe made a loop and dropped me on the ground. I landed on Junior, who hadn't moved out of the way. I checked my surroundings and I found out that we were on the roof of the building that led to the Allys Sewers.

"Mom," Junior complained, "Get off!"

"Oh!" I stood up, offering Junior my hand. He took it, "We can leave Jill here," I told Junior.

"That's what I was going to do."

We walked to the edge and were about to jump off when we saw Pit knocking out the guard below us, Ike behind him. "Uh, Pit?" I called.

They both looked up with shocked expressions. Pit cried out, "Peach, Junior! You're both safe!"

"Yeah, and check this out!" Junior showed Pit and Ike the key.

"That's awesome!"

Junior and I jumped down to meet with them. It was then that I noticed they were both banged up. Pit had scorch marks all over him; even his wing had a hole burned into it. Ike's clothes were also a bit singed, but the blood on his boot was more noticeable, "What happened to you guys!?" I asked.

Pit sighed, "We fought an Original. We were caught off guard… We came here because he said there was a Beta in the sewers."

"He was right," I said, "We almost died back there," I remembered the crabs and turtles, "Oh, and Pit?"

"What is it?" he asked. I grabbed his ear and pulled. Pit yelped, "H-hey!"

"You liar! You said there weren't any monsters there!"

"That's 'cause there are not!"

"Oh? Did I imagine those 2-dimensional crabs and turtles!?" I let go of him and showed my wrist, "Look at this!"

Pit studied the cut, and he looked up like a child that had been caught cheating, "Well, you're safe now…"

"Just barely. That Beta almost killed Junior…"

Junior glance at me nervously, "Can we leave this place now?"

I looked at Pit, "Please say yes!" I begged.

"Well, we got the key. There isn't any reason why we should stay…"

Junior and I cheered, Ike just smiled.

Pit did not want to get lost again, so he made a map inside his head that led to the Mayor's building. From there we went north, headed to a gate that would send us to the other side of the Fields; empty land which most people referred to as the Plains. Unfortunately, we were stopped at the gate by the Mayor and about twenty of his guards. Standing up, he wasn't that tall. Compared to the guards standing beside him, he was a dwarf, barely reaching above their knees.

"Mayor Naval, what brings you here out in the open?" Pit asked politely.

"It turns out…" the Mayor started, "…that I cannot let you leave."

"Oh?" Ike stuck his sword to the ground to stretch his arms. I saw Junior gripping the handle of his blade. Pit broke apart his bow into two blades. They were preparing to fight. Despite being confident in their abilities, they had to know they were horribly outnumbered, "Tell me, Mayor," Ike said, retrieving his sword, "Did Ness bring you up to this?"

The Mayor said nothing.

"Hey, Ike, Junior, we can handle these guys, right?"

"Don't offend me," Ike said.

I decided to play along, "Junior? Don't beat them up too bad, all right?"

"Aww, Mom, you never let me have any fun!"

The Mayor's eye twitched, "Apprehend them!" he ordered. The guards charged at us with pointed spears. Pit, Ike, and Junior divided the guards evenly, but one took note of me and attacked.

"Mom!" I dodged his spear and rammed into him, taking his spear in the process. I pressed the sharp end against his neck. Seeing that I was fine, the others focused on the rest of the guards. The battle dragged on for too long. All of us were exhausted, and it didn't look like we would be able to last much longer. We were getting overpowered, and I fought the urge to cry in defeat. Just as I thought this was the end, a miracle happened. We heard screams and cries, and the Mayor's eyes widened as he saw a stampede of homeless citizens coming for him. They fought with us against the guards, forcing them to pull back.

"Get off me!" the Mayor ordered, pushing the hobos away, "I'm your Mayor, you must do as I say!" That seemed to get them angrier, and the deprived citizens buried him in a dog pile.

The guard decided to bail the Mayor, and the citizens began to cheer. They passed the gate into the Plains.

We watched them leave in joy until Pit asked what we were all thinking, "What happened…?"

A dirty boy in rags heard Pit and explained, "Some of us overheard that the Mayor and his cronies were going to ambush you guys. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to give the Mayor a piece of our minds!"

"I'm grateful…" Pit smiled, "We were losing back there."

The boy shook his head, "Naw, we're the ones that are grateful. We can finally leave this place horrible place."

We followed the citizens of Allys through the gate, and Pit told Ike to take Junior with him so that we can talk in private. Ike nodded, leading Junior ahead.

I frowned, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Pit nodded, looking down, "Look, Peach, I have lots of secrets. That's to be expected from being the only trophy with memories from before the Memory Loss. I can't guarantee you, Junior, or even Ike that I'll ever tell you the darker ones, but that's fine, isn't it?" Pit looked at me for an answer.

"Well, I guess some secrets are better hidden…" I said.

"Yeah… but you at least deserve to know this…"

"Me?"

Pit nodded again, "Yeah… I'm not really one to tell the truth, afraid how that person would react. It's the reason why I never spill my secrets… at least, not until the skeleton comes out of the closet itself… That's when I deal with it. But I can't lie, or keep this from you."

"Keep what from me?" I asked.

"Peach, I would understand if you would no longer want to continue this quest…"

"What!? Why? Pit, just tell me already," I demanded.

He avoided my gaze, " I don't know if you've figured it out by now, but…" Pit let out a steady breath, "Link is an Original. If you and your son stay on this quest, you will confront him…Possibly in battle…"


	5. Daisy's Bakery

There's a story behind the creation of the Imperial Tower. Apparently, it was the Originals who built it when they were the only ones in the world, in order to meet with their creator. High up in the sky at the center of the World of Trophies is a distortion. This is the place that is closest to subspace, a realm which Tabuu inhabits. The subspace is a world parallel to ours in which nothing is created. Tabuu is forever trapped there, watching over this world from His own. Legends say the reason for this is because His power is so great, that releasing them upon this world will mean the end of everything. To avoid such a calamity, He stays imprisoned in subspace, forever at the top floor of the Imperial Tower.

Being His first creations, the Originals have the privilege to live in the tower. There they hold meetings of the World's progress, as well as discuss current missions. In fact, there was a meeting concerning the latter topic as of late. Tabuu told His followers that the Defyer Pit has once again attempted the quest for His decimation. At first they thought nothing of it, but word of a group of travelers making their way to Allys Town forced the Originals to take action.

Mario knew this meant Pit was not alone. Still, he failed to see a threat to this news. He sent Eleventh to convince Pit to abandon his quest. On the likely chance he was to remain stubborn, Ness was to send him into recreation. Just in case Eleventh were to not succeed, Mario cleverly decided to send a Beta to the sewers with one simple order—

Eliminate _any_ trophy that dares try to take the Emerald Key.

There was no chance the key would fall into Pit's hands…

Mario sat on his chair placed at the very end of the table. Shaped as a long rectangle, his position ensured authority over all the Originals. At the moment, he was alone, that is, until the door to the spacious meeting room opened. Mario knew it was Ness, and he turned to face the boy who wore a grim expression. From the look on his face, Mario could guess the outcome of what transpired. Still, he decided to humor the boy.

"Well?" He leaned forward, his gloved hands over his mouth.

Ness shifted his weight from one leg to another, scratching the back of his head, "I, uh, failed…"

Mario slammed his fist on the table, making the boy jump, "Eleventh, you told me you had a plan, did you not?"

"Yeah, but…"

"I don't want any excuses, Eleventh."

Ness gritted his teeth, keeping his head down. He hated it when Mario called him by his number. He didn't know why. It was how the Originals called one another; it's been that way for as long as he remembered… which was about five years. Five years ago, when Pit made a team to take down Tabuu. According to Him, they had reached the top floor, and He was about to finish them off when Pit executed a strange command—one that resulted in a white explosion that expanded over all of the World of Trophies. This event was the Memory Loss. Only Tabuu and the Defyers have memories from before that time…

"Mario, do you know who Pit recruited?"

Mario narrowed his eyes. Guessing games never amused him. Ness knew that, and he answered the question, "Toon Link, Ike…"

Mario stood up, "Impossible. Ike left Pit."

"I wasn't finished. The last member of his new elite… is Peach."

The man said nothing for a while, and Ness wished he had kept that a secret. "Ness… You know what happens when an Original fails a mission…"

Ness's eyes widened, "No, you can't!"

"ROBs, take him to the Void."

Two robots appeared under Mario's command. They approached the paralyzed boy and held him roughly. Ness gained the ability to react, "Mario, please! Don't send me into the Void! I'll… I'll do anything!" The boy struggled, but there was no way he would escape the ROBs' unmatched strength.

Mario turned so his back was facing Ness, "Who's Mario?" Ness's eyes widened, tears on the verge of spilling, "First! First, please, I'm sorry! I was caught off guard!" Mario shook his head, ignoring the boy's cries, "Let this be a lesson to you, Eleventh… I have no tolerance for low rank fighter such as yourself. You're lucky we still consider you one of us."

"I-I am one of you, aren't I?"His voice trembled, and if it were long ago, Mario would have given in to the boy's begging. But he wasn't what he used to be. A warrior shows no mercy.

"Only by name," Mario said. Ness's face fell, and he started crying shamefully. Mario couldn't stand this. What's with the feeling in his chest when he heard the boy's sobs? He wanted it to go away. "Get him out of my sight."

Ness's eyes snapped open, "NO! YOU CAN'T SEND ME THERE! PLEASE! GIVE ME A SECOND CHANCE! I'LL DELETE PIT AND THE REST OF THE DEFYERS! JUST PLEASE, DON'T SEND ME INTO THE VOID!" The double doors slammed shut as they left. The walls drowned out Ness's cries, and Mario sat back down on his chair in deep thought. Who should he send next? Maybe he should just get this all over with and send Fox, one of his greatest fighters. Samus won't pull back her punches, he can send her. How about Donkey Kong? It takes a lot to take that behemoth down. Mario was unable to hear the doors open and close as another Original walked into the room.

"Mario?"

Out of the twelve Originals, it was only Luigi that Mario allowed to call him by his name. Everyone else referred to him as First. Mario was not loath to admit his brother annoyed him at times. He was one of the few Originals that retained any morals, and he always attempted to convince him otherwise when his decision happened to be out of line, "What is it, Ninth?"

"That was harsh, no?"

"How else would he learn?"

"Ne—Eleventh is the Original that has spent the most times in the Void. He's absolutely terrified of it."

Mario grunted, "As he should. The Void is a part of subspace that we trophies can access. As the name suggests, there's nothing in the Void but empty space. Whoever is thrown in there gets the feeling of dizziness, nausea, and suffocation. You're right, Eleventh has been there many times, and he said it feels like dying. Supposedly, you also hallucinate..."

"Mario, don't send him there… If you know he hates it, why do it?"

"For that reason. He failed his mission. Now I have to decide who to send next…"

"Oh!" Luigi ran over to his brother, "How about me!? The Defyers should be in the Plains, and Daisy's bakery also happens to be there!"

Mario thought about it briefly, before he saw Luigi's face and sighed, "Very well, Ninth. Prove to me you're second to First."

Luigi nodded nervously. He always wanted to please his older brother. He wanted Mario to see what he's really made of. He didn't care what the other Originals thought of him… no… he only cared what his brother thought. It is for that reason that he'll be sure not to fail.

"They won't know what hit 'em."

**(Peach's POV)**

I could only stare at Pit, my mind reeling. It made sense. We were Associates, right? That meant we were based off of an Original. Junior was his son, and I was… his lover. I can't face him, not anytime soon. He can't see me like this. Still, what about Junior? He wants to complete this quest. I have to consider him, too. After all, if Link were to challenge us to a brawl, what would Junior think? Would he hesitate? I doubt it… I'm not as dense as I make myself appear to be. I know Junior hates his father for leaving. With that said, would it not be better to abandon this quest? Or for that reason should we stay? I shut my eyes tight and shook my head.

Pit didn't see that as a good sign, "Well?" he asked nervously.

"I'll have to think about it," I said.

He perked up a bit, "Great! I mean… uh… okay…"

I smiled at him, "Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome…"

"Where did this come from?" Pit glance at me and stared straight ahead, "What Ness said was true…"

"What did he say?" I asked him.

"I need all the help I can get… Four trophies is the ideal number for a group, but there are twelve Originals we have to face. Along with Mr. Game and Watch and Master Robot, there's Tabuu himself," Pit sighed, "Peach, can I admit something?"

"You can tell me anything."

I think he truly believed me when I said that. I saw a hint of a smile, "I don't have much faith when it comes to our victory…" I stayed silent, "All odds are against us. The first time I attempted the quest, I at least had my goddess on my side."

Pit had a goddess? I guess it made sense. I wanted to ask him about it, but something he said bothered me, "She's not with you anymore?"

Pit shook his head, "I don't know. I haven't heard her voice since the Memory Loss. Still, She can't be dead because I would know."

"Well, you know what they say, 'No news is good news.'"

"I hope that's the case."

"I'm sure she's fine. Maybe She was affected by the Memory Loss."

Pit chuckled as if I had said something funny, "I seriously doubt that."

It's hard to believe that just yesterday I was back in my bakery. Just this morning, Junior and I were in the Allys Sewers while Pit and Ike fought an Original. Just this afternoon, with the help of the homeless people of Allys, we overthrew the Mayor and joined an exodus into the Plains. It looked like the Fields, but it was flatter with nothing but grass. There weren't that many monsters, which was a nice break. Pit didn't say another word until he looked around and cursed.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Do you know where they're headed?"

"The people of Allys?" Pit nodded, "I'm not sure," I told him.

Pit tapped an old woman that was lagging behind. Everyone was ahead of us, as well as Ike and Junior. "Excuse me, Ma'am, where are we headed?"

"Barrio Town," the woman said, and Pit thanked her.

Suddenly, he screamed at the top of his lungs, "IKE! JUNIOR! GET OVER HERE!" I held my ears, as did the other people near us. Most of them glared at Pit as the angel stood there waiting as if he hadn't yelled just a moment ago. Ike and Junior made their way through the crowd and walked up to us.

"What's with the yelling?" Junior complained.

"Is something wrong?" Ike asked Pit.

He shook his head, "We're headed the other way."

"Wouldn't it be better if we ate something in Barrio? I'm starving," I told Pit.

"Now that you mention it…" Junior's stomach growled, "Me, too."

"It's a little out of the way," I was about to say something when Pit spoke before me, "Besides, there's a bakery on the way we should be going." My eyes lit up which Junior took note of immediately. He almost seemed nervous, in a way, "Let's go!"

Pit nodded in agreement and looked at Ike and Junior, "Any objections?"

"No," Ike said.

Junior's face fell, "Fine, let's go to the bakery…"

Pit frowned, "Something the matter, Junior?"

"It's nothing."

I raised an eyebrow, "Junior…"

He held up his hands, "Really, it's nothing!" he insisted. "

Junior," Ike said, "Remember, we're a team. We must learn to trust one another. If something is bothering you, just say it."

Junior nodded, "Fine… I don't want to go to the bakery."

I smiled, "That's pretty obvious."

"I'm afraid… you'll get homesick…"

"Oh, Junior…" I hugged him out of guilt. He thought going to the bakery would make me want to return to the one I had in X. And honestly, he would be right. I wanted to go there for the familiar scent of baked goods, and to taste sugary sweets with coffee. Business was slow, but I always felt safe and at peace at my bakery. It's the one thing I owned that Link hadn't given me. It's for that reason it will always have a special place in my heart. "Don't worry, Junior, I just wanted to go because it's been a while since I had sweet bread. I'm really craving it," I lied.

He seemed to relax a bit, "Oh…um… do you think shadow bugs need to eat?" Junior tried to change the subject.

"Let's find out," Pit said. We said our goodbyes to the people of Allys, most thanking us again for helping them escape. We waved and went our way, Pit in the lead facing us like a tour guide, "So I heard a lot about this place. It's really amazing—ask anybody if they've ever heard of Daisy's Bakery, and chances are, they have."

"Wow," I said, "Is it that popular?"

Pit shrugged, "I never actually heard about the quality of the food. I'm guessing it's good. I mean, why else would so many people know about the joint?"

Ike looked at the sky, the sun near to setting, "Is it safe to camp out tonight?"

Pit followed the swordsman's gaze, "No… there might be fewer monsters in the Plains, but we can still get attacked. Hopefully, we could crash at the bakery."

The journey there was pretty uneventful, as only a few monsters attacked. Not that I'm complaining. Seriously, I wish I had some sort of weapon to fight with. Pit may have said I'm a hand to hand fighter, but slapping enemies doesn't seem to be very effective. I asked Junior if I can borrow one of his weapons, since he had many to spare.

"Uh, sure…" He didn't sound too sure. Maybe he didn't trust his mom with weapons, "Which one do you want?"

I thought about it then clapped my hands excitedly, "Ooh! That baton thing!"

Junior frowned, "You mean the Wind Waker? That's not really a weapon…"

"It has a cool name, so it does something special, doesn't it?"

"It summons the wind…"

"That's cool!" Junior dug into his pouch and handed me the Wind Waker. Now that I had a closer look at it, I was able to admire the design. It was about two feet in length and pure white. The handle was as plain as the rest of the baton, with swirls that looked similar to wind motion. "How does it work?"

"You have to listen to the wind and listen to its melody—if you do that, it should be willing to follow the Wind Waker's movements."

I blinked at Junior a few times, "And, um, how exactly do you do that?"

Junior groaned, "You know what? Use my boomerang. A five-year-old can use it."He took back the Wind Waker and gave me his boomerang.

"Are you comparing me to a five-year-old?"

"I'm saying it will be easy to use."

"Very well," I eyed the boomerang. It was pretty small in size, made of wood painted yellow. Silver aligned the ends and center, around a ruby. I looked around and saw a Primid coming our way. I threw the boomerang at it and it fell back on its bottom. "Oh my god, yes! I hit it!" My cheering was cut short with Junior's yell, "Mom, watch out!" I turned to face him and the boomerang hit me in the back of my head, knocking me down. "Oh…" I got up shakily, rubbing the injured spot, "That hurt…"

"Mom, you have to pay attention to the boomerang once you throw it!"

I rolled my eyes, "I got that. Thanks, Junior."

Pit approached me, "Maybe you should just stay back and let us handle it…"

"Pit, I know I'm not a good fighter…"

Pit avoided my gaze, "Peach—"

"Be honest with me, Pit. Am I really useful?"

"Why do you ask…?" Pit's voice got awfully quiet.

"Maybe…" I leaned closer to him, "Maybe it's better if I just go back."

His head shot up, "Peach, no!"

"What's going on?" Junior asked.

Pit and I exchanged glances. I bent down and picked up Junior's boomerang, handing it to him, "Why don't you go with Ike? He must be getting tired."

Junior studied the both of us, "Okay…" He turned around, and just before he left, he said, "You two are getting awfully close…"

"It's nothing like that," Pit assured Junior, "Your Mom and I are just discussing…contemporary issues."

Junior frowned and looked at me, "Is something going on?"

"Nothing bad," I told him. That seemed to have satisfied Junior, because he nodded and ran to Ike.

As soon as Junior was a safe distance away, Pit faced me, "Look, Peach, I'll be honest. You're not a bad fighter," I stared at him in disbelief, "I say that because… well… I can't see you as a fighter at all."

Something in me cracked. I could tell Pit said that the kindest way possible, but it still managed to get to me. He just admitted that I was useless. People say it doesn't matter what others think. That's a lie. Trophies, like humans, are social by nature. We want other trophies to like us. We want people to only see the good side of us. It always shamed me, the fact that I'm a trophy that can't fight. After all, we were made to fight. If I can't perform what I was created to do, than what does that make me? I have no purpose. I can't fight. I can't do anything. Sure, I can cook, but the reality of it is that I'm mediocre at best. Pit's face fell when he saw a tear slip down my cheek. Fighting isn't the only thing I'm useless at.

"Peach," Pit began, but I cut him off.

"If that's what you think of me, why would you want me to stay?" Pit stared at the grass below him. He started walking away and I followed him, "Well?"

"If you were to go back, Junior would go with you. And Junior… is talented. I can't lose him. Besides… you may not be fighter, but you have a good head on your shoulders…"

I scoffed, "Don't dare suck up to me."

"I'm not," Pit looked my way, and his eyes told me he was truly being sincere.

"What good does that make me?"

"Remember the Fields? It was you that came up with the idea to search for a Poppant. Because of you, we did not starve."

"Oh, please…"

"Also, I can't confirm this, but I'm sure that if Junior were to have gone to the Allys Sewers solo… he would have died."

My eyes widened. He was right. I saved Junior in the Sewers.

Pit went on, "And if Junior were to have died, we would have never gotten the key. The quest would have already been over."

I couldn't help myself. I started crying. I don't know why. Pit could be saying all this to convince me to stay. Yet, just as I thought of that, I knew he wouldn't do such a thing. Angels don't lie, but Pit isn't your average angel. Still, he wouldn't lie about this. Even if he did, I know for myself all what he had said was true.

"You're too harsh on yourself, Peach. What you lack in strength, you make up with tactic."

I wiped my face and was about to thank Pit when Ike called us. I looked up and saw that Ike and Junior were standing before a building. It looked more like a house, with a roof and a chimney. The front had a window that showed off various pastries. There was a door beside it that said, "WELCOME".

We made it to Daisy's Bakery.

Upon entering, there was a knell, and soon after a woman appeared. She smiled at us, her auburn hair bouncing with her every movement, "Welcome to Daisy's Bakery! I'm the owner, Daisy!" Daisy wore an orange dress under a white apron. She had oven mitts on both hands which she waved at us with. Despite being late in the day, Daisy was full of energy as if she just drank a gallon of coffee.

"Hey, Daisy!" I approached her and extended my hand. She seemed surprised by the gesture, but she shook it anyway, "I'm Peach!" I held Junior's shoulders, "This is my son, Junior. The angel is Pit, and the swordsman behind him is Ike." I smiled at her, "I actually own a bakery myself. I can't wait to taste you're pastries!"

"Oh…"Daisy fidgeted a bit, "Well, there's a special going on. My strawberry shortcakes are half off."

"Great! We'll have four for each of us. Is that all right with you guys?" Junior shrugged while Pit nodded. Ike just grunted. "This is a wonderful place you have here, Daisy!" Her bakery was much larger than my own, with more space to set up tables and chairs. There was a coffee machine against the opposite wall, as well as a vending machine with snacks and refreshments next to it. Behind the counter were all the pastries, neatly shelved on display for all to see.

"I'm very happy you think so. I love this bakery, and I hope you four do, as well," She looked back, "I'll go make your shortcakes. As you can see, the place is empty, so you may choose any table…" Daisy looked depressed for a moment, but immediately smiled, "Be back in jiffy!" She ran off behind the counter into the kitchen.

I held my hands to my chest, "This place is like a dream! It has so much personality! Look at all the flowers Daisy has for decorations!" There was a vase on each table, each with a bouquet of many beautiful flowers. Their sweet scent along with the aroma of freshly baked bread was enough to send my heart into eternal bliss. I took in a long, deep breath.

"Let's sit down," Pit said, and he sat on a table for four people. Junior and Ike did as he said, and I was the last to take a seat.

"Junior, do you think I would get more customers if I decorated the place?"

"Mom…" I noted his worried expression, "It's just a question."

"I don't know… I think it was fine as it is…" Dave hopped down from Junior's head onto the table. Junior kept his eyes on the shadow bug, which stayed motionless on the wooden surface.

"You think so? I always thought it was plain…"

Pit shook his head, "I actually thought it was homely. Your bakery has a cozy atmosphere to it, right, Ike?"

"I'm not a fan of bread," he said.

I cocked my head, "Oh? What do you like?"

Ike stared straight ahead, "Meat."

"Tell you what, if we ever get poultry, I'll cook it for you."

"This strawberry shortcake is not going to fill me up," Ike said.

Pit rolled his eyes, "Oh, boy, you and you're appetite."

An idea came to me, "Say, Pit, why don't you tell us about Ike? Before he lost his memory, I mean."

Junior perked up at the change in topic, "Yeah! Was he the same as he is now?"

Ike stared at Pit, looking interested on what he had to say. Pit, meanwhile, was having trouble coming up with something, "Well, to be honest, I didn't know Ike for that long… He was my ally in our quest to defeat Tabuu, but before that he was a stranger to me. After our group disbanded, we didn't see each other for a very long time. The day Ike lost his memory was actually the second time I've seen him."

"That's hard to believe," I said, "You seem to know him well."

Pit laughed, "Well, what can I say? Dude's an open book. There's not much he keeps hidden."

"When did we first meet?" Ike asked Pit.

Pit looked up, "Can't really remember. All I know is, our first encounter was no accident. Your… friend told me about you."

I could see Ike's expression change. Usually his face was devoid of all emotion, but now he seemed… hopeful in a way, "I had a friend? What's his name?"

"Roy. Anyway, he told me you were a great swordsman. I thought it would be a good idea to recruit you in my team—"

"Wait Pit, where's Roy now?" Pit stared at Ike as if he couldn't believe he would dare interrupt him. Why did he seem angry all of a sudden? "That doesn't matter…"

"Pit, Ike has amnesia. Can you imagine what it's like to wake up and not know anything? Hearing the name of a friend must be a comfort to him," I placed my hand on Ike's shoulder, which I noticed was tense.

Pit bit his lip, "Roy… is dead. Forget I ever mentioned him."

"W-what?" Junior stared at the angel, me and Ike giving him similar expressions. Pit avoided eye contact, and there was an awkward silence.

I decided to change the subject, "So, uh, can you tell us your battle with Ness?"

That seemed to fix things, for now at least. Ike was more silent than usual, Pit explaining most of the fight himself, "Ness shouldn't have been a problem to deal with. I guess Ike and I were just rusty."

Ike didn't say anything and I cleared my throat, "Well, I guess Junior and I can tell you what happened in the sewers…"

Junior helped me out, making himself seem like a super hero while I was the damsel in distress. He said the crabs and turtles were twenty feet tall. Also, apparently Jill's mech had arm cannons and spider legs, "Oh! And remember when I told the mayor Dave can detect monsters!?" Pit nodded excitedly, actually buying Junior's story, "That's actually true! Dave knows when there is danger nearby!"

"That's sick!" Pit looked at me, "Peach, you're son is so cool!"

I rolled my eyes, "Please, the only true thing he said is Dave's ability to sense monsters. The truth is, the two of us nearly died in there. You say the Originals are dangerous, but Assist Trophies seem more deadly."

Pit looked up thoughtfully, "I can see why you would say that, but assist trophies can only be summoned for so long. After a set period of time, they return to their casual form."

"WHOSE READY FOR SOME CAKE!?" Daisy appeared holding a silver platter with both hands. On it were four strawberry shortcakes, looking like the one's shown in a cook book. Perfect, the top covered with whip cream and a single sliced strawberry. She approached our table and set down the tray, handing each of us a piece. She took back the silver tray and held it close to her chest, "Well? Whatcha all waitin' for? Eat up!"

The four of us got a hold of the small spoon that laid next to the sweet-looking dessert. We all got a piece of our strawberry shortcake and shoved it in our mouths…

… Only to spit it out immediately.

"It's horrible!" Junior cried.

Ike grimaced.

"I imagine this is how Pit's sandwich would taste like…" I said.

"My goddess cooks better than this…"

We heard a sniffle and we turned to see Daisy with blurry eyes. My eyes widened, "Oh, I mean, mmm!" I took another bit and forced a smile. When I tried swallowing, I gagged a bit.

Daisy glared at me, "Don't Peach! Don't pretend it's good! I know I'm a terrible cook!" Daisy dropped her tray and fell on her knees. Her figure trembled as she sobbed into her oven mitts. "Daisy!" I kneeled next to her and rubbed her back, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt your feelings…" Daisy looked at me with a flushed face, "I'm used to it already. It's always the same. I started this bakery because it was my dream… but now…" Daisy cried some more, tackling me into a hug, "It's so embarrassing! The only reason people know about this place is because the food sucks!"

"Ohhhhhhh…" Pit realized, and I glared at him.

"Daisy, maybe—"

"I should just shut down the bakery…" I pushed Daisy away arm's length so she could look at me, "Daisy, you can't! You said this bakery was your dream!" She shook her head, "It's nothing but a laughing stock…"

I held Daisy's shoulders and she lifted her head, "Daisy, I'm going to make you the best baker in the Plains! I will teach you how to bake!"

Daisy's eyes widened with her smile, "You would do that?"

I nodded, "So no more crying!"

I got up and gave Daisy a hand. She took it, picking up the dropped tray with her, "But it's awfully late now…" She studied the four of us and nodded, "Tell you what—why don't you guys stay for the night? There are two spare beds in the basement. The four of you can sleep there."

The basement was cold and empty with nothing but two beds and shelves filled with boxes. In reality it was a storage room for kitchen supplies, but Daisy referred to it more as a guest room. The lights hanging above flickered from time to time, the only source of heat the place had to offer. The beds themselves had only a single sheet and a wide pillow. Daisy came down later to give us more blankets.

"Okay, Junior, which bed do you want?"

Junior was about to answer when Pit interrupted, "Peach, I think it's better if your son were to sleep with Ike."

I gaped at Pit, "Ike!? But…"

"But?" Ike raised his eyebrow in question, and I stiffened.

"Why?" I asked Pit.

"The beds are pretty small. Ike is the biggest person here, while Junior is the smallest. It makes sense to pair them up. As for you and me, we're around the same height, so it wouldn't be too uncomfortable sharing a bed."

I sighed, "I guess you're right…" I turned to Junior, "You hear that? You're sleeping with Ike tonight."

Junior nodded; taking a nervous glance towards Ike, who was already on a bed, his back facing us. Junior lifted the blanket cautiously and slipped in, making sure to leave space between them. I got on the remaining bed, spreading the folded blanket over my body. The lights turned off, the room turning as black as a dark ocean. The bed creaked as Pit made his way next to me, pulling the blanket his way so that he would be covered as well. I laid my head on the pillow, wishing everyone a good night.

I soon heard Junior snoring softly, and I smiled. Suddenly, I felt something light rest on my body. It took me a moment to realize it was one of Pit's wings. Was he asleep? I always wanted to feel his wings ever since I first saw them. They just looked so soft. I closed my hand around the edge and slid down the curve. Pit's wing felt so smooth, but they were also pretty thick.

I heard a whisper, "What are you doing?" I froze, hoping Pit would think it was just a part of his imagination. No such luck, "Are you petting my wing?"

I decided to play dumb, and I flapped his wing, "Oh, is that what this is? I thought it was a giant spider web."

Pit stayed silent for a while, "Do you mind?"

"Huh?"

"I could, uh, sleep on my side if it bothers you."

I giggled, "It's fine."

Regardless, Pit turned, and his wing was lifted from my body. When he spoke, I could tell he was facing me, "I'm glad you're awake. There's another reason why I wanted to share a bed with you…"

I closed my eyes, bracing myself, "Is it about my decision?"

"Yeah…"

"I don't know," I admitted, "I want to help you on this quest, but—"

"This isn't about me. This is about you. I wouldn't give a second thought if it came to sending Link into recreation."

"Did you know him?"

Pit took a while to answer, "Not personally."

I sighed, lost within my memories, "He was such a sweet guy. Every time I looked at him, I would get butterflies…" I laughed miserably, "All these years, and I'm still crazy about him."

"Why did he leave?"

"It was partially my fault… I told him to leave…"

"Why?" I shook my head, even though Pit wouldn't be able to see, "I'm sorry, Pit, I can't tell you…"

"I understand," he paused, "How long do you plan on staying here?"

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't take a day to teach someone how to bake."

"That reminds me…"

"Don't change the subject."

"You were mad when Ike mentioned Roy." Silence. "Pit?"

"Roy was my best friend. Ike…" Pit trailed off.

"What about Ike?"

"Let's just say they have much in common…" With that, Pit pulled the blanket over his head.

I had the feeling he didn't want to speak further, but I decided it was best to tell him, "We won't be here long. I promise."

"Rise and shine!" A wooden spoon was banged repeatedly against the back of a frying pan, "Are you awake, Peach? You said you would teach me how to bake and save my business!"

My vision was still blurry from sleep. My ears were ringing, "I don't remember that last part."

"Cause and effect, Peach, cause and effect."I looked at Pit beside me, his hair a disheveled mess. His wreath was out of place, and his eyes were blinking rapidly, determined to stay open. I looked for Junior, but he along with Ike were gone. Daisy noticed me staring at the empty bed, "Those two woke a while ago. I gotta admit, you're husband is quite the early bird."

"Excuse me!?" Pit laughed hysterically while I waved my hands, "N-n-no! You got it all wrong! He's just a friend!"

Daisy looked up thoughtfully, "Oh? That's not what he told me."

Pit stopped laughing, "Wait, what?"

Daisy covered her mouth until a snort came out, "Oh my god, your reactions! That was hilarious!"

I crossed my arms, "Not funny."

Daisy wiped a tear, "Just joshing. You two would make the cutest couple, though," I grumbled, "Anyway; he did say he was going to kill time by slaying monsters outside. Your son went with him."

"Oh…" I turned to Pit, "Pit, can you call them? We're going to make a cake, and it will be a group effort!"

"Sure," Pit exited the basement. Daisy looked at me with childish anticipation, "So, what are we gonna be makin'?"

"A cake, but I have to see what you have first." Daisy nodded, "Of course! Come on, the kitchen is this way!"

"Here it is!"

"Wow!" This was nothing compared to the bakery I had in X. Not only was it larger, it had a lot more to offer. There were two ovens and a stove, the wall in the end displaying a variety of pans, sieves, spatulas, and wooden spoons. There was a table against the wall with mixers, bowls, rolling pins, knives, and leftover dough. The sink across from it was concealed by a mountain of unwashed dishes. Next to it was a metal door with a large panel that kept it locked.

"That's the refrigerator room. I have eggs there, and milk. There's also whip cream, fudge, caramel, and everything else that would give you diabetes," Daisy chuckled, "The sugar and flour I keep in the cabinets."

"Okay…" I took not of the wooden cabinets above the ovens, stove, and sink. I opened one, and sure enough, there were bags that read "**SUGAR**" in big bold letters."What about the fruit?" I asked.

"Oh, they're in my garden."

"You have a garden!? That's so cool!"

Daisy squealed, "I know, right!? Luigi bought it for me!"

"Luigi?"

"My bae," Daisy sighed, "He's the sweetest guy ever. It's almost hard to believe he's an Original."

"What!?" I cried.

Daisy looked at me, "You know, because they're mostly known for being the best fighters in the world of trophies."

I played along, "I see… Well, um, let's see that garden…"

There was another door in the kitchen that led outside. I could tell by the glass window it had that you could look through. Daisy was about to open it when she looked at me strangely, "What's your deal?"

"W-what do you mean?" I stammered.

"You're suddenly nervous… Are you scared of the Originals? Are you… a Defyer?"

I gulped. I couldn't lie to her. I had to tell her the truth. Although, that didn't mean it had to be the right answer, "I had… bad experiences with an Original…"

"Oh?" Daisy didn't believe me.

"You know my son, right?"

"Now that you mention it… he looks like Link."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Daisy frowned, "Where is he now?"

I'm tired of people asking me this, "I was nothing but a passing fancy for that man."

Daisy's hands went over her mouth in shock, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I was caught off guard when she hugged me, "I didn't know Link was like that…"

"It's okay. I'm over it," I lied.

Daisy held me tighter, "Don't let Link stop you from finding your true love."

"Are you serious? There's no such thing."

She released me, "Don't say that. It's sad."

"It's true," I stated.

Daisy opened the door that led to the garden, "Love can be found in the strangest places. Like, maybe, in a certain blue-haired swordsman."

I followed her outside, "Why are you pairing me up with him? We just met." Daisy turned to face me, "I think he likes you."

"What makes you so sure?" I challenged.

"I went to the basement and saw that he was already awake, sitting up and staring at you."

My eyes widened, "What!?"

Daisy burst out laughing, "Joshing, joshing!" I glared at her, and she wiped a tear, "Anyway, this is the garden."

I looked ahead and gasped. It was beautiful. Fruits of all kinds were seen, arranged in neat rows. Bushes, vines, and trees added variety to the garden, and the colors of each fruit filled all the colors I'm capable of naming at the top of my head. The garden was surrounded by a wooden fence, "Wow! What do you grow here!?"

"Fruit: Apples, peaches, strawberries, cranberry, cherries…You name it, I probably have it."

"Why don't we top the cake with peaches? It fits my name."

Daisy giggled, "All right. I think they're over this way."Daisy led me into the forest of nutrition, past lemons, blueberries, and watermelons.

I sniffed the air, "What's that smell?" I asked.

Daisy glanced at me, "You mean the fertilizer? I can't smell it anymore—my nose grew accustomed to it."

I recognized this scent… it suddenly hit me, "Daisy, this is Lovely Lotus!"

"Yeah… I think that's what Luigi called it."

I grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around, "Daisy, you don't understand! Lovely Lotus is known for its bitter taste! If you use it as fertilizer, it will make the fruit taste bad!"

Her eyes widened, "What!?" She picked an apple from a tree that was beside us and took a bite. Her face scrunched up in disgust, and she spat the fruit out, "I-I don't get it… Why would Luigi sabotage my food supply..?"

"Maybe he didn't know?" I suggested. Daisy made fists with her hands, "If only the fruit was bad, wouldn't the rest of the strawberry shortcake be good?"

"Yes…"

"That bastard!" Daisy pushed past me and ran back inside the bakery. I tried keeping up with her and made my way into the kitchen. I was surprised to see Junior there with Ike and Pit. They were mixing stuff in a bowl, Daisy staring at them, "Put that down!"

Junior frowned, "I'm sorry, I didn't know I needed to ask permission…"

Daisy shook her head, "No, that's not it…" She took the wooden spoon from Junior's hands and tasted the batter. She grimaced, "What you put in this?"

Junior looked everywhere but at Daisy. He always did that when an adult confronted him, "Uh, sugar. Why, did I put too much? Mom always puts a butt-load of sugar into everything she makes."

"Junior!"

He jumped, just noticing me "Oh, hey, Mom…"

"What's going on?" Pit asked Daisy.

"That's what I would like to know! This…this is salt!"

"What!?" We cried.

Everyone stared at Daisy, "Are you sure?" She nodded, "Let me taste it." Daisy handed me the spoon, and I sipped a bit of the batter. There was no denying it, "She's right…"

"This can't be!" Daisy opened the fridge and nearly shoved something into my face, "Peach, what kind of egg is this!?" I took it from her grasp. The shell was grey, and somewhat larger than the average chicken egg, "This is an Unfezant egg… I heard they get spoiled really quickly…"

"How quick!?" Daisy demanded.

"About a few days after being processed…"

Daisy held the sides of her head, "What about Mu Mu milk!? Does that spoil quickly!?"

"Mu Mu milk should only be used for baby Mu Mus…"

"Whipped Dream!? Weez Wheat!? Harbor's Chocolate!? What about those!?" Tears started building up in Daisy's eyes, "Are all my ingredients bad?"

"Daisy, this is important," I placed my hand on her shoulder, "Make me another strawberry shortcake."

She looked at me as if I was crazy, "What?"

"It's possible there's nothing wrong with your baking!" She smiled when she realized what that meant, "It's not my fault!" She looked at each of us, "All this time, I thought it was me! You wouldn't believe how many sleepless nights I had practicing making these baked goods! At first, I thought, maybe it's the tools I used…" She picked up a slicked black pan with a rubber handle. Inscribed on it were the words, **TRIPLE DELUXE**. "So I decided to get the highest quality possible. But… that didn't work…"

"Triple Deluxe!? That's the brand that's most recommended by Kirby, the best chef in this world!" I admired the pan, "Can I hold it!?"

Daisy nodded and handed it to me. "Wait—"

Daisy turned to face Pit, "Kirby? Isn't he an Original?"

She nodded, "Yeah, it was Kirby that inspired me to follow my dream. When I tasted his tiramisu, it felt like my taste buds were having Christmas! I wanted to make a tiramisu just like that… maybe even better."

I set the frying pan down, "How about it, Daisy? Show me!"

She clapped her hands together, "Before that, I have an idea! I'll ask the super market in Barrio to send me supplies! They're delivery service is really quick, they should be here within an hour of having sent the call!"

Junior raised his hand, "Can I call them!?"

Daisy ruffled his hair, "Of course! The phone is upstairs. The super market's phone number is on the fridge." Junior nodded and went off.

Ike and Pit stood there uncomfortably, and I smiled, "Come on you two, I'll teach you how to bake."

I told the guys to do everything that Daisy did. As it turned out, I was right. Daisy wasn't a bad baker—quite the opposite—she was a great baker. She put in the perfect amount of everything, using measuring cups without the aid of a cook book to refer to. Junior came a moment later, and he played with the cookie dough as if it was clay. I was amused at the way Ike and Pit were arguing with each other, putting too much milk and salt into the bowl. There was a knock on the door, and I went to open it. It was the delivery man from Barrio with milk, sugar, whip cream, strawberries, and butter. I brought the ingredients to Daisy, and we and we started preparing the delicious treat. With so much help, it was soon in the oven to bake, and ten minutes later, the bread was a golden brown. Junior had the honors of putting whip cream and a strawberry slice on each shortcake.

"We're done!" Daisy cheered. Before us laid ten strawberry shortcakes, "Help yourselves."

We each got a piece and were about to take a bite when the door opened and a bell chimed, signaling that there was a customer. "

I'll get it," Daisy said, taking her piece of the strawberry shortcake with her. From the wide window on the front, we were able to see Daisy open the door, and a tall man come in. What a strange character. His green hat had an "L" on the front, and he wore overalls. He had on the type of gloves a magician would use, and his mustache was bushy and a bit cartoony, curving upward slightly. In all honesty, he looked shady, but Daisy seemed ecstatic to see him, "Luigi!" she exclaimed.

I gasped, and Pit came between me and Ike, forcing us down into the kitchen floor, "Junior, get down!" Pit ordered.

Junior did as he was told, but frowned, "Why?"

I answered his question, "He's an Original."

Pit looked at me strangely, "How did you know?"

"Daisy told me Luigi was her boyfriend…"

Pit cursed, "We have to get out of here!" I grabbed his wrist just as he was about get up, "Wait. Let's listen for a while."

Pit growled, but stayed where he was.

"…been a while since you last visited. What brings you here? Did you just come by to see me?" I could tell Daisy was teasing the man.

"I'm killing two birds with one stone. Not only can I see my precious Daisy, but I can accomplish my mission as well."

This seemed to have piqued Daisy's interest, "Oh? What might that be?"

"I've been told there are Defyers in the area. Four of them, they are all trophies."

"So… you came by to see if they stopped at this place."

"And to see you," Luigi said.

"Well, can you describe them to me?"

"Oh, I have their names here…" There was a pause, "They go by Pit, Ike, Peach, and Toon Link." Daisy was silent for a while, and I gripped Pit's wrist again, "Well, have you seen them?"

"I don't really ask for the names of my customers."

Pit relaxed a bit.

Luigi laughed sheepishly, "Of course! Um, you can't really miss them. Pit has wings."

"Oh! Yeah, they're here." I pulled Pit down as he was about to get up, "Peach!"

"We can trust her," I said.

Pit gritted his teeth, "Why!? We're considered terrorists! Why would she hide us from her so-called boyfriend!?"

"If you can't trust her, then trust me…"

Pit bit his lip and sighed, "Fine."

"Really, they're here!?" Luigi sounded excited.

"That is to say, they were here. They left a while ago."

"Oh… Did you know which way they went?"

"I think they mentioned Barrio Town."

"All right, I'll be headed there, then."

"Wait...So you're just going to leave? You're not going to spend some time with your girlfriend?"

Ike whispered to me, "Should we really be listening to this?"

I grinned, "It's going to get better, just wait."

"Oh…Well, um, you see, these Defyers are really dangerous…"

"More dangerous than a pissed off Daisy?"

"Five minutes…?" Luigi offered.

Daisy sighed, "I'll take what I can get."

"So, um, how's business?"

We all exchanged smiles. I suppressed a giggle. Daisy said, "Great, actually. Business is booming."

"R-really?" Luigi asked in disbelief. That single question confirmed Daisy's theory. "Yes—say, how about you taste my strawberry shortcake?" I could picture Daisy handing Luigi the strawberry shortcake.

"No, really, I'm not hungry…"

"Come on, Luigi, for me?" Daisy pleaded.

"O-okay…" Another pause, "Oh, wow, this is actually pretty good!"

"Yeah," Daisy said, "No thanks to you."

We could hear Luigi almost choke on the strawberry shortcake, "W-what do you mean, Darling…?"

"Don't play dumb, Luigi! I know you've been supplying me bad ingredients! How could you!?"

"D-Daisy…"

"Is this so that I can move into your place?" Luigi stayed silent, "It is! Oh my god! You would go as far as to sabotage my business only so I can live with you!?" Daisy scoffed, "Well, it's not gonna happen! Not anymore, anyway. You can stop sending me supplies—I'll be getting them from Barrio from now on!"

"Daisy, please, you must understand…"

"Goodbye, Luigi. Don't you have a mission to accomplish?" The door slammed, and we could hear Luigi's voice from outside apologizing to Daisy.

I hadn't realized up until now, how much I had in common with Daisy. Not only did we both own a bakery, but we used it as a way as to not rely on our partners too much. Why couldn't I be like Daisy? Why couldn't I be independent? If Daisy were to break up with Luigi, I would know for a fact she would be over him in no time flat. Me? Four years, and I'm still head over heels for the same guy. Anything Link said, I would obey like a duckling. Daisy, in contrast, was in control of the relationship. I wanted to be like her—brave, and not afraid to speak the truth. I don't want to run away anymore. I'm done with that. It's time I confronted Link.

"Pit?" He looked my way, "I'm staying on this quest."

He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. I knew that's the answer he was hoping for all along.

Daisy came into the kitchen and saw us on the floor, "Were you guys eavesdropping?"

We got up quickly, "Daisy, we can't express how grateful we are for not telling Luigi we were here…" Pit said, "If there's anything we can do in return…"

Daisy shook her head, "You all saved my business. I think it's a fair trade," She looked at us with a serious expression, "Keep in mind, though, that the next time we meet…"

Pit nodded, "We understand. Thanks—for everything. After we eat this shortcakes, we'll be in our way..."

"Can we at least come back to this bakery?" Junior asked, "The strawberry shortcake was good!"

Daisy smiled, "How about I give you my number? That way I can send you baked goods anytime," Daisy searched the pockets on her apron and handed Junior a card.

After eating Daisy's delicious dessert, We all said goodbye. I hugged Daisy, "Thank you… because of you, I know I have to confront Link…"

She hugged me back, "Good luck with that," Daisy said, "And… take this with you…" Daisy handed me the Triple Deluxe frying pan.

I took it, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "I don't need it anymore."

I thanked her a final time and waved goodbye, going out into the garden.

Daisy's bakery grew smaller in the distance, "I'm going to miss that place…" I said.

"I'm going to miss the food," Junior said. He suddenly face palmed, "Augh! I forgot to feed Dave!"

I laughed, "I'm sure shadow bugs don't eat. Even if they did, strawberry shortcakes wouldn't be a nutritious meal."

Junior patted Dave, "Next time, I won't forget!"

Ike asked, "Where are we headed?"

Pit answered Ike's question, "The next key is in Rumble Falls…It'll take a while to get there. The Originals know our plan, so chances are, one will be waiting for us there."

I gripped the frying pan tightly. An Original… Who would it be?

Ness?

Luigi?

...Link?


	6. Pokemon Paradise

**(Pit's POV)**

"We stink."

That came out of nowhere. We were in the Plains for some time now, not really talking to one another. It wasn't as if we weren't use to each other yet, it's just that there really wasn't anything to talk about. I guess Peach hated silence, because she would say something random every five minutes in hopes of sparking up a conversation. She failed every time, mostly because she already knows what Junior would say, Ike won't say anything at all, and I would—how she would say it—kill the topic. It made me think about my old companions, how different Junior and Peach were compared to them. I guess since I was close to them before the quest, there weren't any barriers set up. Junior and Peach are nice people, but something about them always… kept me guarded. Maybe it was Junior's appearance, how uncanny he is to Link, or the fact that Peach is super curious. Last night, I almost told her about Roy, but I didn't. Why couldn't I have at least told her about him? It's not as if he's related to Tabuu or the first quest… Not really…

What bugs me the most, though, is that deep in my heart, I know they deserve to know what happened. They deserve to know what caused the Memory Loss. They deserve to know the real reason for this quest, especially Ike. What if he regains his memories? It wouldn't be unusual. He could one day dream of his past or get déjà vu, and ask me about it. When that happens, what would I tell him? Would I pass it off as nothing? What if he leaves me again? Relationship is based on trust, and how would I expect Junior, Peach, and Ike to trust me if I don't give them anything to trust me with? I want to forget it ever happened. I just can't tell them, not yet…

"We do, don't we?" Peach didn't say anything. I think she expected something sarcastic, or an insult, "It's normal for a traveler to go days without bathing."

"Days!? Pit, you can't be serious!"

I didn't want to deal with this now, "Yeah…"

"Hey, are we going through that forest? There may be a stream or a lake there."

I frowned. A forest? There wasn't anything like that in the Plains. It got its name for being nothing but flat land for miles around. I've been here before, and I would surely remember if there was a forest. I followed Peach's gaze straight ahead and stared at the outline of trees in the distance. She was right. Where there used to be a bridge, there was a forest. How was this possible? "We're headed that way anyway," I stated.

"Hey, Pit, what's going on?" Peach asked.

I was starting to get annoyed, "Nothing."

"You're spacing off. I haven't known you for that long, but you don't seem to be the type to do that."

"Uh huh…"

"Pit…" Peach went on.

My eye started to twitch, "Forget about it."

"There's something bothering you…"

"Mind your own business."

"Pit you know you can tell me anything…"

"Not anything…" I said under my breath. To Peach I said, "I'm thinking about my first companions."

"Oh? What were they like?" Does she know no boundaries? Seriously, if someone avoids telling you something, it means they don't want to talk about it. Maybe she just has a thick skull, "You know…"

"No, I don't, that's why I'm asking."

"Well, for one thing, they know to mind their business."

Junior just had to speak up, "Hey, Pit, you're being kind of rude."

I gritted my teeth, "And your Mom wasn't?"

I think Junior was about to say something, but Peach must have held him back. They were exchanging hushed words. Ike approached my side, "Pit?"

"I'll apologize to her later," I said.

"It's not that…" I glanced at Ike, who avoided my gaze, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Just now you said you were thinking of your old companions…"

Uh-oh, "Yeah?"

"Well, I was wondering—"

"Yes, you were one of them."

"I know that," he said, "I was wondering if… there was a girl…?"

Ike suddenly looked nervous, and a pit started to form in my stomach, "Why do you ask?"

"When we fought Ness, I think I got a flashback."

My heart started pumping rapidly, "O-oh? What did you see?"

His eyes narrowed, "I didn't see anything. I heard a conversation between me and some girl."

No doubt about it. It must have been… "So, uh, what did you guys talk about…?"

"She was telling me how Trophies heal faster than normal people…"

"The basics…" I murmured.

I felt Ike's eyes on me, "I was about to say her name. It started with 'Sh'."

He studied my reaction, and I tried my best not to give any obvious hints. I stared straight ahead at the direction I was walking. Should I tell him? If I do, chances are he would demand the details. But if I don't tell him, he could possibly get frustrated, and an angry Ike isn't someone you would want to meet. There's something he isn't telling me, something he left out. What is it? Maybe I should tell him. A name can possibly rebuild his trust towards me. And if anything, it won't be long for him to remember himself, so what would be the harm in telling him now? I sighed, having decided, "Uh, yeah. You must be talking about Sheik. You probably remembered her first because she took care of you when you were created."

I let Ike feed on that while I braced myself for the oncoming question, "Where is she now?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, "Beats me."

It seemed as if he wanted to press on the subject, but we had made it to the forest. I turned around and advised Junior and Peach to stick close to us from here on out. Ike went ahead.

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Within the first hour of being in the forest, we had come upon a wide stream. Peach had been collecting strange flowers that were littered around the forest, and she gave off a smile once she saw the running water.

"Finally!" she said, "I was starting to think I had picked these Sarynn flowers for nothing!"

"Why did you pick those?" Ike asked.

"You don't know?" she replied.

Obviously not. I didn't, either. Apparently Junior did, because he answered Ike's question, "Sarynn flowers can be used as soap… the only reason Mom knows about it is because it is a prime ingredient in some recipes."

"I'm surprised, Junior!" He looked away in embarrassment, "Well, it's just as he said, Ike. Sarynn flowers are often used as soap in more rural areas. They are found in many forests, and it turns out this one isn't an exception."

"So," I said, "You're going to take a bath?"

She giggled, "No, silly!" I frowned and she elaborated, "We are all going to take a bath!"

"We?" I echoed. Peach nodded, handing each of us a Sarynn flower.

Junior took it reluctantly, "I was wondering why you had gotten four."

"All right, I'll be bathing farther down the stream. You guys can stay together, because, well, you're guys."

"Got it," I said.

"No peeking."

"You're not my type, anyway," I told her.

She still looked at us as if we were pervs, "Right… so only come for me if I yell or something." She started going the other way before she stopped and turned, "Oh, right, Junior, give me your clothes."

He tensed all of a sudden, "What!? Why!?"

"So I can wash it," Peach responded.

Junior started backing away, "I'm fine with how it is!"

"Junior, you're filthy."

"I'm not that dirty," he insisted.

"Junior, I'm not telling you t strip naked; just give me your tunic."

"I could keep my under shirt and underwear?"

"Unless they're dirty as well—"

Junior shook his head, "N-no, they're fine." He unhooked his belt and took off his tunic. He wore something similar underneath, but of a lighter fabric. Peach took Junior's tunic and went farther downstream where trees blocked the view. I saw Ike was taking of his cape and head band, and I was left to consider whether I should take a bath as well. I still had soot on my tunic, so I decided to take it off and get in the water.

Ike soon got in with me, and I searched for Junior who was lingering quite a distance from the stream just staring at us. I waved at him, "Hey, dude, come join us! The water's fresh!"

Junior shook his head, "I'm fine…"

I said nothing and swam over to where Ike was drifting on the water with his eyes closed, "Hey, Ike," I whispered.

His face remained serene, "What is it…"

I said into his ear, "Let's dunk Junior!"

He opened his eyes and looked at me, a mischievous smile forming on his face, "Distract Junior. I'll get him from behind." Ike swam away, and I turned to Junior. He was searching for something in his bag, Dave, his shadow bug, resting on the grass beside him.

"Junior!" I called.

He glanced up and went back to rummaging through his bag, "I'm not swimming," he said.

"You know, if you can't swim, I can teach you," I offered.

"I know how to swim, Pit."

"Yeah? Then why don't you get in the stream?"

"I'm taking care of Dave."

I saw Ike appear behind Junior, "Dave doesn't move all that much; I'm sure you can enjoy yourself for a short while, at least."

Junior sighed and was about to say something when he frowned, "Where's Ike?"

"Dunno," I said, "Possibly spying on your mother."

I don't know what was funnier—his reaction to that comment, or his face when Ike scooped him up and ran for the stream. They made a huge splash, and I had to get my hair out of the way in order to see the result of our prank. Ike had surfaced, and Junior came up shortly afterward. I was about to make fun of Junior when I saw his body. The thin fabric of his shirt stuck to his skin and was slightly transparent. I was able to see marks all over Junior that appeared to be scars.

Junior caught me staring and attempted to cover up all the cuts. His eyes started to water as he glared at me and Ike, "What the hell is wrong with you!? I said I didn't want to go!"

I didn't know what to say, and Ike was silent as well. It was no wonder Junior did not want to take off his clothes. Peach is a sensible person, so I know for a fact she wouldn't put Junior in the spot like that. I got the nerve to ask, "Peach doesn't know…" Junior didn't say anything, and he ran off towards the woods. He grabbed his bag on the way, Dave jumping inside, "Junior, wait!" He ignored me, and disappeared behind the trees.

I got out of the stream and shook my head like a wild dog to dry my hair. I grabbed my tunic and put it on, telling Ike to do the same, "We can't just leave him to be out there. Not only will Peach kill us, but we don't know what's out there."

Ike tied his cape around his collar, "We've never been here before?"

"No…" I grabbed my bow I had left on the ground and looked up at the branches of the trees blocking the sky, "Last time we were here, there was no forest."

"How is that possible?" Ike asked.

"It isn't…unless…" It couldn't be, "It's always been here."

"Wouldn't you remember passing by a forest?"

"There's many in the World of Trophies."

Ike walked the path Junior had gone, and I followed him, suddenly knowing it would be impossible to track him. Beyond the trees where Junior was last visible, there was a clearing formed by trees forming a circle. Junior could have gone any way in this maze of trees.

"We're doomed," I groaned.

"I'm sure he'll come back. He has to."

I cursed, falling to my knees. Great, just great! I wanted to gain Junior's and Peach's trust, but now that seems as possible as touching the sky. It must have been really awkward for Junior when his scars became visible. I can't even imagine… and what would Peach say? Would it be better if tell her, or should I keep Junior's secret? What if… what if Peach decides to leave for the fact I can't even confirm her own son's security!? This is bad, this is really bad. Peach could be done with her bath any moment now, and what would she think if she were to see that we were gone? We had to find Junior, and we had to find him quick. I can't risk any of them feeling any uncertainty towards me. What do I tell Junior? A simple apology won't get me anywhere. Heck, we're not even that close to start with. He doesn't like how I treat his mother…

He doesn't like me at all. The fact just dawned to me now. When I conversated with him, he sounded like he was annoyed. Was it because he was on edge, or was it me?

"Pit," Ike said, "Are you all right?"

"Junior hates me." He didn't say anything, and I took it as confirmation that I was right. I gripped the grass with my fingers, pulling them from the soil, "What's wrong with me? What's different? I was able to handle a team before, so why not now?" I scoffed. Who am I kidding? I knew the answer to all those questions. I've made too many risks…

"He doesn't hate you."

I didn't bother to look at him, "Don't lie to me, Ike…"

Ike grabbed my shoulder harshly and forced me on my feet. Our eyes locked, "I'm not lying. This morning, Junior accompanied me outside to eliminate some monsters."

I shook myself free, "When we were at Daisy's Bakery?"

He nodded, "Yes. We talked, and he told me some interesting things."

"Like what?"

Ike smirked, "That's between me and him."

"What!?" I cried.

Ike chuckled, "I will tell you this. It seems like your jerky attitude and knowledge of everything made Junior think of you as an older brother."

My expression softened, "An… older brother?"

"He doesn't hate you," Ike repeated, "And even if he did, what's so bad about his scars?"

I looked at him to see if he was joking, but he wasn't, "Wow, you've really forgotten everything…"

He gave me a blank expression, "Is there something I don't know?"

"Yeah, which you should. Didn't you tell me Sheik told you?"

"Trophies heal faster than people," Ike said, not getting it.

"Is that it?"

Ike looked to the side and back at me, "Yeeeees."

He's such a bad liar. Still, I shouldn't worry about it. If he remembered how our group disbanded, he wouldn't be with me now. It must be something else, something between him and Sheik that… I can probably guess, "We can't get scars because of our ability to heal. The only way we can get them, is if they are self-inflicted."

Ike's eyes widened, "Are you saying Junior did that to himself!?"

I was only able to nod, "We've stumbled upon a really personal secret…"

"We have to tell Peach!"

"No!" I said, "At least, not now when Junior isn't with us…"

There was suddenly a high-pitched scream.

"That was Peach," Ike said, "She's in trouble!"

My heart started pounding. Peach would notice immediately that Junior was gone, "You go, I'll find Junior!"

Ike stared at me as if I was crazy, "Pit!"

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle it!" I flapped my wings and lifted myself into the air. I flew the opposite way and looked back to see Ike running towards the stream.

**(Ike's POV)**

I ran over to where Peach had gone to bathe in the stream. I expected to see some sort of monster, but instead there was a burly man approaching Peach, who had her back against the bark of a tree. He was easily taller than the both of us, and from the looks of it, strong, too. His attire was dark and heavy, with a long cape and a kind of head wear that made him look regal. I know I should have intercepted the stranger, but I was too distracted by Peach to move. She was… in her bra and underwear. You'd expect a baker to at least have a muffin top or something, but she had the curves and slim figure of a goddess. I couldn't help but stare at her, and when I saw the man make his way closer to Peach, something in me ignited.

I let out a roar, and the man turned in shock. I tried attacking with my sword, but the armor he wore made my attacks useless. I kicked him in the gut, putting distance between us.

"Ike!" Peach clung to my shoulder, and I couldn't help but notice her left breast was pressed against my arm.

I cursed at myself for being dirty-minded, "Get your stuff and get out of here," I told her.

She nodded and let go, "Be careful!"

The man glared at me with a sort of hatred that was beyond from me just attacking him, "More demons!" he cried, and lunged at me with his palm aiming for my face. I dodged out of the way and swept my blade over his lower back, successfully damaging him. He let out a cry, and turned around, a strange purple energy enveloping his hand, "Why, you!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

He closed his palm, and the purple energy dissipitated, "You don't fool me. I can see you for who you are—demons!"

I lowered my blade, "Demons?"

"He says the stream is cursed," Peach said.

I turned around, "Peach, I thought I told you to get away!" Peach had her dress and apron back on. She held Junior's wet clothes close to her, and the Triple Deluxe pan in her hand, "I can't leave; what if something happens?"

"What would you do?"The instant I said it, I regretted it. Peach looked at me with obvious hurt in her eyes. Before I was able to take back what I say, the man made his move.

He grabbed me from the neck and lifted me off the ground. I dropped Ragnell and grabbed his hand, trying to make him loosen his grip on me. His hand stayed firm, and soon the edges of my vision started turning black.

"Ike!" Peach's voice sounded distant. And terrified. I couldn't struggle any further, and the man sent a surge of what felt like electricity run through my body. My hands fell limp at my sides, and I was only able to hear Peach yell my name one final time.

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I groaned and my eyes opened. I saw a glimpse of Peach's face before she tackled me in a hug, and all I was able to see was the top of her head.

"You're awake! I'm so glad…" She sounded so relieved, and I gulped, not knowing if it would be appropriate to hug her back. I checked the room we were in, and noticed from the look of the walls that we were inside a tree. The floor was bare with leaves scattered all over. Other than that, there was no furniture or any source of light but a window too high to reach, and too small to wriggle out of even if it were accessible. That is because we happened to be in some sort of cell, with wooden bars lining up as a wall to the right.

"Where are we?" I asked Peach, but she was too busy crying in my chest.

"I'm sorry! If I would have just listened to you, you wouldn't have been distracted and caught by surprise…"

I lifted my hand and hesitated before deciding to pat her on the back awkwardly, "It's fine. Seeing he was able to take me down in one hit, it's possible I would have lost anyway."

Peach got off me, moving a strand of her hair away from her face, "He was going after me next, but I surrendered," she shook her head, "I didn't know what else to do! All I had as a potential weapon was Daisy's frying pan, but what good would that have done me?"

"Don't worry about it," I said, and she looked up with blurry eyes, "Some may say it's cowardly to surrender, but I would rather wave the white flag than put your life on the line."

"Oh, Ike…"

"A-and, you know, Pit and Junior, too."

She smiled, "Of course."

I decided to ask her again since she had calmed down, "So where are we?"

Peach stared at her lap, "We're in a village at the tree tops. The man that knocked you out—Ganondorf was his name—locked us up here."

"Oh…"

She went on, "He thinks we're demons that have poisoned their source of water, the stream. Since they caught us bathing in it, they assumed we were cursed and were the cause of it."

"Maybe if we explain to him that we were travelers…"

"He's not here… he's searching for Junior. He found out about him when I gave him his tunic."

"Why would you give him Junior's clothes?"

"He took everything we had; your sword included."

I cursed, and Peach looked at me strangely, "What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing… I just didn't take you as the type to use vulgarity."

"I curse from time to time," I said.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't know. You barely talk at all."

I chuckled, and Peach pouted, "You don't. This is actually the most we've talked to one another."

"Well, it looks like we have time. What would you like to talk about?"

"Actually, now that I think about it, where's Junior and Pit?"

I stiffened, which Peach took immediate note of, "Uh, nature called."

Peach frowned, "To both of them?"

I nodded furiously, my face getting red. Damn it, why is it so hard for me to lie? "Yeah. They went to search for a perfect tree to do their business. That must be why they didn't come for you when you screamed," I nodded again, "Yeah! They were too far away."

"Wow, and I thought Junior was a terrible liar."

"I-it's true! They drank too much water!"

Peach rolled her eyes, "Ike, just tell me where they are."

I avoided her gaze, "Pit, uh, is searching for Junior?"

"Are you asking me, or telling me?"

"Uh, no, that's actually true."

"Okay, so where is Junior?"

"I…don't know?"

"How could you not know?"

"He sort of ran away…"

"Sort of?" Peach narrowed her eyes, and I cracked.

"OKIDUNKEDHIMEVENTHOUGHHEDIDNOTWANTTOGETINTHEWATERANDYOUWEREABLETOSEEALLTHESESCARSANDHERANAWAYBECAUSEWESAWTHEMIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRY!"

I was surprised Peach got all that, "What!? How does Junior have scars!?"

I closed my eyes and waited for my heart to stop beating, "I honestly don't know, but Pit says they were self inflicted."

Her eyes widened. I was barely able to hear what she said next, "What did they look like?"

I tried to remember, "I can't recall. I think they were scratches, though, as if he was trying to rip his body apart to release a demon from inside him," I probably should have used another example, because Peach looked horrified, "Uh, Peach?"

"We _have_ to get out of here!"

**(Pit's POV)**

"Where is he!?"

I've been flying for ten minutes now, and still no sign of Junior. He couldn't have gotten that far, but there were plenty of places to hide. It probably wasn't the best choice to search from up above, as the trees blocked the view of everything underneath their branches. Still, I was able to discover there was a system of bridges and houses within the top of the trees, an entire village. I doubt Junior would have gone to a public place, so I ignored it for the moment. I was going in circles when the wind suddenly changed direction. Usually I don't pay mind to wind motion unless it got in the way of my flying, but it was awfully strange, and for me to notice the change meant that this wasn't natural. Suddenly, I remembered something from yesterday.

It was on the Plains when we were heading towards Daisy's Bakery. Peach had asked to borrow one of Junior's various weapons, and at first she wanted to use the Wind Waker. "That's right," I said out loud. Junior said it had the ability to control the wind or something, but you had to listen to its melody in order to do so. That part was cryptic, but at this point I would do anything to find the kid. I closed my eyes and cupped my hands behind my ears. I didn't hear anything at first, just the whooshing of the win, but somehow I was able to visualize where Junior was. I opened my eyes and descended into a clearing, running until I entered the forest. There was a ladder hanging from up above the tree branches, and I climbed it into a wooden floor-board supported by planks. I looked around and saw that the area was isolated, not part of the tree top village. It was probably used for scouts on look out. The tree emerged from the middle, its branches spreading out like a roof. I walked around it and saw steps leading to a platform on a taller tree. Junior was there waving the Wind Waker, his blond hair waving at the command of the wind. He didn't see me as his eyes were closed, and I flicked him on the forehead once I was close enough. Had to act normal, right? He jumped, and backed away.

"What do you want?" he spat.

I raised both of my hands, "I get why you're mad, and I'm sorry."

I noticed his shirt was dry. My tunic wasn't dripping wet, but it wasn't dry either. It looked like he used the Wind Waker to dry his clothes quicker. Junior's anger faded, and suddenly he looked more like a kid than he ever did before as he hugged himself and hunched over a bit, "I guess you want to know how I got them, huh?"

I shook my head, "Nah. I won't tell your mom about it, either."

He looked awfully relieved, and looked up at me, "Thanks…" he murmured, "And, um, apology accepted… I was wrong to bail on you guys."

I smiled, happy to have found him, "Come on, Ike and Peach are waiting for us," He nodded and followed me back down to the forest floor, "I know the way back; just stay by me, okay?"

He didn't say anything, and my smile faded. Junior avoided my gaze as if he was ashamed. I didn't want to bring up his scars, so I just led him back to the stream. There was silence, and Junior decided to break it, "It's stupid, really."

"Huh?"

"The scars, I mean. I'm not emo, if that's what you think."

I laughed to lighten the mood, but that seemed to have offended him, "Uh, yeah, that's exactly what I thought, actually. I just assumed, living without a father, that you'd be deppressed."

What he said next surprised him me, "Link? I'm glad he's gone." I studied him, but his head was facing the ground, "Mom and I were the only trophies in X. Because of that, I didn't know about the itch. I thought there was something wrong with me. You see, Mom and Dad kept from me the fact that I was a trophy. The first few months of my life, I thought I was human."

I started putting the story together, "They never told you trophies get irritated when they don't fight for some time."

"Yeah… I didn't tell them about it either, you know, because it was bearable. That changed when Link left. Suddenly, the itch was more frequent."

That was probably because it had an emotional impact on him. I didn't want to tell Junior that, afraid he'll get bitter for me accusing him of actually liking his Dad. Still, where did all this hatred come from? It couldn't have been just from Link leaving. It went beyond that. I remembered Peach not telling me why Link left. It made me suspicious—what exactly happened?

Junior continued, "I'll get to the point. I scratched myself trying to ease the itch, but it didn't help at all. I found myself digging my nails a bit too deep into my skin, enough to take out blood. I didn't think much of it at the time. I knew I healed faster than the guys at school. But strangely… they remained. And the worst part is, they still look like the day I made them, just scabbed over. It hurts if you put too much pressure…" Junior lifted his shirt so I can look for myself. Four jagged parallel lines ran diagonally from his shoulder down to his abdomen. Another four were at the side over his ribs to his bellybutton. Junior's eyes were closed, not wanting me to look at my reaction, "There's some on my back, too. I was scared. I didn't want Mom to find out, and soon I found out fighting got rid of the itch. Mom didn't like it when I got into brawls at daycare, so I stuck to monsters in the Fields." He put his shirt back down, "Yeah… that's pretty much it."

"I know it doesn't matter now, but just so you know, if a trophy hurts itself, the damage is permanent."

Junior smiled wryly, "I got that, Pit."

"And, um," I scratched the back of my head, "It's not bad… I mean, it's not like you knew."

"Thanks, Pit."

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We made it back to the stream, and a feeling of dread immediately came over me. Ike and Peach were nowhere to be seen. I was about to head to the area where Peach was bathing by herself, when Junior grabbed my wrist, "Woah, what do you think you're doing?"I gave him a strange look, "You can't walk in on my Mom."

I frowned, "You think she's still bathing?"

Junior nodded knowingly, "Trust me, she takes forever! Plus, she's washing my clothes, so that'll take her longer."

I decided to take advantage of his ignorance, "Okay," I looked around, "Ike must be taking a piss, then." I'll have to distract Junior somehow, so I can search for them. He wouldn't be happy to hear that I abandoned his mom. I suddenly got an idea, "Hey, dude."

He was looking around absent-mindedly, but focused on me when I called him, "Yeah?"

"Why don't you play the Wind Waker? To pass the time."

"What!? No way!"

"Come on, bro, I'm bored here. Unless you want to go swimming?" Junior stiffened and I smirked.

"Okay fine…" He took out his Wind Waker and closed his eyes. He stayed that way for a while before waving it slowly side to side.

"So, is that all it can do? Change the direction of the wind?"

"I guess if I learned to make stronger winds, I could use it as a weapon."

I was planning on sneaking away while Junior was using the Wind Waker, but I found myself staying cross-legged just enjoying the breeze that he has summoned. That was until Junior was interrupted. It was a feminine voice that appeared from behind me. I arched my head to look, and Junior opened his eyes for them to meet with the stranger's.

She wasn't human, but she wasn't a trophy, either. I knew she was a pokemon, as I remember summoning her kind from a pokeball before in previous fights. She appeared to wear a dress, and the fur on her face made it look like she wore a masquerade. Her arms were green, as well as what appeared to be her hair. A red disk protruded from her chest. She had her eye on us, red irises blurred with tears, "I knew it," she repeated, "Suicune has never abandoned us!" She suddenly bowed, and Junior and I stared at the creature perplexed.

"Um, who are you?" I asked the pokemon.

She looked up, "You want to know my name? I'm so honored, oh Suicune's messenger. I'm Gardevoir."

"Look, Gardevoir, we're not who you think we are. We don't know what you're talking about."

Gardevoir's lip trembled, "You're not Suicune's messengers?"

"No," I told her.

"But…but… the boy! He was able to summon the North wind!"

Junior pointed to himself and Gardevoir nodded, "I had no idea…"

Gardevoir started sputtering before she slumped her head in defeat, "Figures… maybe Ganandorf was right, after all. Suicune has forgotten about us…"

What she said piqued my interest. That would make sense how this forest appeared out of nowhere—it didn't exist. It was a forgotten place, and if that were true, no one would remember Gardevoir as someone that lived in the World of Trophies. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized what that meant. The longer we stay here, chances are we would become Forgotten, too.

Like Roy…

"Gardevoir," I said, "Who's Suicune?"

She was still depressed, but answered my question, "She was our guardian deity. She took care of all the pokemon. One day, she suddenly left, and without her divine protection, we were vulnerable to poachers…"

My eyes widened, "Wait, is that when—"

"The Pokemon Trade first began," Gardevoir nodded sadly.

Junior was confused, "What's the Pokemon Trade?" he asked.

"It's horrible," Gardevoir said, "Pokemon are bought and sold as property, used for slavery and other menial labor. We thought it was all over… until Ganondorf saved us."

Junior frowned, "Ganondorf? Who's he?"

"Not even Ganondorf knows who he was before the Memory Loss. It doesn't matter, though. He gave us sanctuary in this forest. We were safe from poachers from then on. Everything was wonderful like in a fairy tale, but…"

I remembered Peach's scream, and I gulped, "What?"

"The stream turned polluted. It's our only source of water. We don't know what caused for it to turn poisonous. There are many sick pokemon because of it. We're all dying of thirst, barely going by with the water the water type pokemon have left. We can't go on much longer…"

"Why don't you just leave?"

Gardevoir gaped at Junior, "Weren't you paying attention to what I've been saying!?" Junior flinched at the ferocity of her voice. Gardevoir took not of it and simmered down, "I-I'm sorry, it's just…" She looked up towards the sky, somewhat obscured by the leaves on the branches, "This is the safest place for a pokemon like me. In that way, this forest is truly a Pokemon Paradise…" Gardevoir sighed, "Although recently, it's been the exact opposite. Many have lost faith in Suicune ever returning, but I haven't. Supposedly, she has the ability to cleanse any stream. I wonder if that's true." I didn't know what to say, nor did Junior. Gardevoir noticed the awkward silence and gave a fake laugh, "I'm sorry, it's none of your business. Um, so you two are travelers?"

I cleared my throat, "Uh, yeah, actually. This is Junior, and I'm Pit."

Gardevoir smiled sincerely, "It's nice to meet you, and, um, sorry for blabbering… my life is just falling apart. Some pokemon are turning hostile, and even Ganondorf has been on edge. Just recently, he's accused of two trophies of being demons that have polluted the lake. Their currently locked up."

I cursed all of hell as Junior cried out, "What!?"

Gardevoir nodded in agreement, "I know, right? I was thinking the same thing. When I asked him about them, he was all like, 'Demons!'"

" Gardevoir, you don't get it! One of them is my Mom!"

There was no use hiding it any longer, "The other is a friend of ours..." I mumbled.

Gardevoir clasped her hands over her mouth, "Oh, my! I'm so sorry! You must forgive Ganondorf—You can only imagine all the stress he's been going through."

Junior didn't care what she had to say, "Just take me to her!"

Gardevoir nodded, "Of course! Our village is this way…"

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Gardevoir led us deeper into the forest until we reached a rope ladder that led to the tree tops. She got a grip of the rope and started climbing, "There are other entrances, but this one is closest to the building where your mom and friend are currently being held." Junior got the rope but Gardevoir stopped him, "Junior, what do you think you're doing!?"

"Um, following you?"

"What's wrong with you? You'll get a clear view of my butt, and I do not want that, thank you."

Junior slowly let go of the rope, "She's weird," he told me.

"Well, she has a point."

"I just want to see Mom…"

I looked at Junior's eyes filled with worry, then back to Gardevoir who was almost at the top. I couldn't relate. I had no parents—heck, I wasn't born from a woman. Palutena created me to be her servant. I guess she's the closest to a Mom I ever had, but when I look at Junior and Peach, it's entirely different. My throat felt hollow, and I gritted my teeth. Was it possible I was jealous of him? No, I just miss Palutena. Yeah, that's it. My… goddess…

"You're such a Momma's Boy," I teased, and Junior growled at me.

Gardevoir called from up above, "All right, you two can climb up now!"

I let Junior climb first, and I followed shortly after. Over the branches there was a complex of planks and tree houses. It was I sight to look at, but it suddenly reminded me of a Allys Town with its maze-like design. Junior and I landed on a wooden platform where Gardevoir was standing, waiting for us. "Come on." She led us past multiple buildings, and up three stories. The place was huge, and something struck me as odd.

"Say, Gardevoir, where are all the pokemon?" She stopped, and spoke in a voice I was barely able to hear, "Most are at the nursery."

"That many have been poisoned?"

"It's no wonder why Ganondorf is getting desperate. I think he plans on executing your companions…"

"Then why are we talking!?" Junior cried.

"You're right," Gardevoir said, "No more interruptions."

A couple minutes later, we came to a huge tree with an opening down the middle, "This was a storage, but recently it's been used to cage pokemon that have gotten… animalistic," Gardevoir explained.

She led us inside, which was surprisingly spacious. There were a bunch of rooms with wooden bars, with a variety of pokemon inside them. Upon seeing us they attacked the cage that held them, and Junior jumped back. There were Weaviles clawing the walls, and a Metogross chained in place by four iron pillars. Some of them screamed at us while others called Gardevoir a traitor and a fool. One Meowth called her a pawn to Ganondorf. Gardevoir appeared apathetic towards their words, but her eyes started to get moist when a Skarmory mocked her for believing in Suicune. It laughed maniacally, "Whose the real crazy one!? She sees auroras in her dreams!"

I got Gardevoir's shoulder to comfort her, but she shook me off, "I'm fine."

She didn't appear that way, but I thought it was best to let her be.

Junior asked, "What did that bird mean when it said you see auroras?"

"I see them in my dreams. It's why I still have faith in Suicune. Legends say auroras are a sign that she'll return, or at least, watching over us."

"In that case, she hasn't forgotten about you," I said.

Gardevoir chortled, "I say that to myself every day…" We followed her down the hall to the lowest level where we heard a sudden ruckus. Junior and I exchanged glances before rushing towards the noise, "Hey, wait up!"

We ran to the scene, Ike fighting Ganondorf while Peach was standing back carrying Junior's clothes and her frying pan. We were about to assist Ike when Gardevoir put her arm before us, motioning for us to remain in place. She approached the two trophies locked in combat, "Ganondorf!"

The man turned, and Ike stopped to eye the pokemon, "Gardevoir," Ganondorf said, "What are you doing here? I thought you hated this place."

"I do, but you have made a mistake bringing these trophies here. They didn't pollute the lake!"

Ganondorf trembled in anger, "Oh, yeah!? What's your proof!?" He challenged.

"What's _your_ proof!? These trophies are travelers! They just happened to get caught up on our affairs, and that isn't fair to them," Gardevoir pointed to me and Junior respectively, "This is Pit, and the boy is Junior. The woman over there is his mother."

That seemed to have done the trick. Ganondorf stared at Peach, "Those are your son's clothes?"

Peach nodded nervously, "I was washing them. Please believe us, we had no idea the stream was cursed."

Ganondorf looked back at Gardevoir, "If that's how it is, then who polluted the lake?"

Gardevoir shook her head, "I keep telling you—it's a pokemon."

"Quit it with the nonsense! Why would a pokemon do such an atrocity!?"

"I…" Gardevoir began, "I don't think it's doing it on purpose…Also, it's not a wild pokemon like us. According to my dreams, it's supposed to be a trophy."

Ganondorf held his chin in a thinking matter, "If that's the case, it will trust another of its kind. Gardevoir, I want you to assist these travelers in finding the culprit."

I scoffed, "Why should we do as you say?"

Ganondorf grunted, "If you help us, I will give you information on how to get out of here. It's not easy leaving the Forgotten Forest," I was suddenly on guard, and the man laughed, "So you know, huh? I'm surprised. Yes, this place is forgotten, the reason why all the pokemon are safe here."

"We'll help you," I said, realizing we had no other choice. Without Palutena, there would be no way for me to know the way out of here. "Great; you may depart," Ganondorf left through a door, and we were left alone.

Peach took the chance to embrace Junior, and Ike approached me, "Why did you agree to help him?"

"Remember when I said there wasn't a forest here before?" Ike nodded, and I continued, "Well, it just so happens that my suspicions were correct. The place was always here, but it was forgotten. There's no easy way out of here, and if Ganondorf claims he knows the way out, our only option is to trust him."

Ike still looked doubtful, but Gardevoir spoke up, "You can trust Ganondorf. He doesn't go back on his word."

"I hope so," I said. I turned to Peach and Junior to see him with his tunic back on, "Well, I think it's better if we start our search."

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Gardevoir brought us back to the forest floor, and from there led us to the stream, "I've seen spores running down the stream before. It's what pollutes it. When a pokemon drinks the water, they get sick."

"So," Peach said, "The pokemon must be some sort of amphibian if its spores get in the water."

Gardevoir nodded, "A poison type. I've tried tracking it before, but it always seems to evade me." We followed the stream's current, and an hour passed before Gardevoir finally stopped, "It's here—I feel it."

We looked around, but only saw trees, bushes, and of course, the stream. "Hello?" I called out. Everyone jumped when I received a response, "I've never seen you before…" The voice was a male, and it came out soft. Whoever the owner was appeared to be shy, and was nowhere to be seen, "You again…"

"Yes, it's me," Gardevoir said, "And I'm here yet again for the same proposition—please, I beg of you—stop polluting this stream!"

There was silence, and some rustling as a creature came out of a nearby bush. It looked like a tubby green frog with a red sprout and wild leaves growing out of its back. It appeared to be reptilian, having small claws and teeth. Despite having red slitted eyes, it did not look like a threat. If anything, its size and pudginess made it look harmless. Gardevoir was shocked, "An Ivysaur!? You're the cause of poisoning the stream?"

Ivysaur looked up at Gardevoir guiltily, "I'm sorry, I just can't help it! My spores are released as a reflex! Every time there are search parties to get rid of me, they get released! I wanted to bring myself in, at least to you, but I was scared you'd all do something horrible to me!"

"Why come out now?" Gardevoir asked.

Ivysaur avoided her stare, "I know many pokemon hate me for polluting the stream… Maybe if trophies came along with me to village… I could explain without putting myself in danger?"

Ivysaur looked at us expectantly, and Junior nodded, "Of course we'll help you out!"

Gardevoir approached Ivysaur, but he backed away. She paused, "Trust me, Ivysaur, they'll be glad it's all over… Once the stream cleans itself through its cycle, you're welcome to live with us in Pokemon Paradise."

"Pokemon…Paradise?"

Gardevoir nodded, extending her hand, "What do you say?"

He hesitated, but eventually accepted, "Yeah… it sounds nice."

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The way back was slow. Ivysaur was lagging behind, and for the first time ever, Peach and Junior were in the lead. I was able to hear her ask Junior about his scars, and I was left dumbfounded. Ike saw me, and decided to explain, "I told her…"

"Ike, why would you do that!?"

"I…" he paused, "I don't know. I just had to."

I groaned, "Right, I forgot about your inability to lie…"

We eavesdropped on Peach and Junior, Peach bawling while Junior was comforting her. I couldn't help but smile. It turned out that Peach thought it was her fault that Junior had those scars. Since she told him she never wanted to see him fighting, she assumed Junior resorted to self injury. At that moment, she was glad Junior never listened to her.

"Pit, can you tell me more about Shiek?"

That came out of nowhere. I looked at Ike, and he looked back at me with hopeful eyes. I stared at them, and realized I can't keep his past from him any longer. It wasn't my choice to make. He deserves to know, and even if I can't tell him everything, I can at least tell him this, "She was your girlfriend."

He didn't say anything; he couldn't, because Junior cried out, "Something's happening!"

Gardevoir and Ivysaur caught up to us, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Dave is trembling like crazy—I don't know why. He only does it when there's monsters nearby, but there are no monsters in this forest."

Gardevoir stared at Junior's shadow bug on his shoulder, "I have a bad feeling…"She closed her eyes momentarily before they snapped open, "The Paradise!" She took off and we looked at each other before we ran after her. When we got to the rope ladder, there was utter pandemonium above us. We each climbed up one by one, Ivysaur jumping on my back so I can get him to the top. Once there, I couldn't believe my eyes. The six of us stared at the destruction before us. Pokemon were destroying the houses and wooden boards. Some were setting them on fire. Pokemon were attacking pokemon, every elemental force being thrown into battle. A Chikorita was running from it all, tears in its eyes. "Chikorita!" Gardevoir called, and the small creature ran into her arms, "Chikorita, what is going on!?"

She was barely understandable between fits of sobs, "The prisoners have escaped. They're destroying everything!"

Gardevoir set Chikorita down and said, "Where's Ganondorf?"

"They tied him up… They're planning on burning him!"

Gardevoir didn't say anything, but you were able to see the fear in her eyes, "Get to safety, now!" The Chikorita nodded and ran, while Gardevoir did the same, but towards the other pokemon.

We followed her, narrowly avoiding shards of ice, "Gardevoir," I cried, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"I must save Ganondorf!"

"Look!" Ike pointed up, and we all followed his finger to black smoke rising into the sky.

"It's coming from the plaza!"

We were barely able to keep up with Gardevoir, but she came to a sudden halt once we reached a wide open area. At the center was Ganondorf, tied to a wooden pillar with thick rope. The bottom was piled with straw, which was lit on fire. He was surrounded by many pokemon, and overhead circling the plaza was Skarmory, throwing insults at the man.

"You got the nerve to rule over us when you're not even a pokemon!? Who do you think you are!?" Skarmory descended so that it was eye level with Ganondorf, "Oh, how I longed for a moment like this, a moment in which you can finally be get rid of! Pokemon Paradise is not a place for you!"

Ganondorf struggled, but the ropes that held him were too tight, "You ungrateful bastard! I saved you lot! This is the thanks I get!?"

Skarmory cackled, "Saved us!? You damned us! It was you who trapped us in this stupid forest—"

"This is the only safe place for pokemon!"

"SAFE!?" Skarmory's iron talons got dangerously close to Ganondorf, "Are you aware how many pokemon have died on your watch!? A poisoned stream is bad, but what's worse is that you lock up those who don't follow you like baby Ducklett! You're no better than a Pokemon Poacher!"

"Skarmory!" Gardevoir sent out a psychic wave, sending the name to the minds of all that it hit. Everyone turned, and Skarmory sneered.

"And here we have Ganondorf's pet! Ready to see your leader die?" Skarmory noticed Ivysaur beside me, "Hmn!? Is that… Is he the one responsible for poisoning the stream!?"

Ivysaur squeaked and hid behind me as Skarmory let out a piercing shriek.

Ganondorf was coughing because of all the smoke, but he still somehow managed to cry out, "Gardevoir! Get out of here! This place is no longer safe!"

Gardevoir stood where she was, and Skarmory yelled, "Get that Ivysaur! He's the cause of all our suffering!"

Every pokemon in the square lunged at us. Gardevoir's eyes glowed as a sphere of light enveloped the six of us. It was only able to hold off the weaker pokemon; the stronger ones broke through. Ike slashed through a Weavile as I pushed off a Magnezone. A Piplup used hydro pump, and Peach blocked with her frying pan. Junior kicked a Dugtrio as it popped up from the ground. Ivsaur was backing away the whole time, and I stuck close to him just to make sure he wasn't attacked. A giant laser beam struck down from above, and Gardevoir's psychic shield shattered. All the pokemon that were in the back took the opportunity to attack. I threw a Torchic that had landed on my head to random direction only for a Meowth to scratch at my face. From the corner of my eye, I saw a Bellosom put Junior to sleep, and a Gulpin slowly approach him to gobble him up whole.

Peach saw this, "Junior!" She ran for her son, but a Snorlax got her from behind and lifted her up effortlessly, "Eeek!"

Ike heard Peach scream and attacked the Snorlax. His blade had no effect, only making the Snorlax's fat jiggle a bit. The Snorlax turned, Peach still in his grasp.

I was distracted by this, and failed to notice Skarmory swooping down to grab Ivysair with its talons until he screamed, "H-help!"

It seemed as if more and more pokemon were coming, and my eyes followed Skarmory as it flew high up in the air with Ivysaur clutched in its metal claws. Ivysaur flailed uselessly, Skarmory laughing with glee. That sadistic piece of scrap metal! Was he going to drop Ivysaur from the sky!?

"Gardevoir!" She acknowledged me with a quick look but kept on fighting. I made my way closer to her, firing arrows at any pokemon that got close, "Gardevoir! Cover for me so I can catch Ivysaur!" At first she didn't get what I meant, but she saw Skarmory up in the sky with Ivysaur. Her eyes glowed and she released a wave of psychic energy that blew away all the pokemon within a ten feet radius of us. I flapped my wings and flew towards Skarmory. I only made it about a meter before a vine got a hold of my ankle and threw me down to the ground. I looked up as Ivysaur's body shuddered, and spores were released from the sprout on his back. Skarmory coughed and let go of Ivysaur.

"IVYSAUR!" Gardevoir screamed his name, and suddenly the forest started to glow. Every pokemon stopped what they were doing to look at the sky. I couldn't believe it myself. Overhead, as far as the eye can see, stretched streams of green and blue light, an aurora. I hastily ripped the vine off my foot and caught Ivysaur in midair. There was silence as everyone stood in awe, but it was short lived as Skarmory started screeching.

"Impossible! Why now, after all this time!?"

The Magnezone that had attacked me before struck Skarmory with a thunderbolt. The metal bird fell from the sky, and the water pokemon helped put out the fire under Ganondorf. I descended beside Ike, watching the burned trophy approach Gardevoir. Everyone made way for him, and Gardevoir did not take note of his prescence until he spoke, "You were right."

Gardevoir was ecstatic, tears spilling from her eyes, "She never left us! Suicune never left us!"

Ganondorf smiled painfully, "Since you're here, does that mean you found the pokemon responsible for poisoning the stream?" I couldn't believe he would ask something like that after all that happened, but Gardevoir simply nodded. She looked around, and when she saw me, pointed. They approached us, Gardevoir supporting the man as they came over, "So you're the culprit?" He was referring to Ivysaur, who I still held with his back to my chest like a puppy, "To think, all this because of an Ivysaur."

"I-I'm sorry… I was scared…"

Ganondorf shook his head and petted Ivysaur , "Of course you were, but now you have nothing to fear."

I dropped Ivysaur, and he rubbed his cheek against Ganondorf's leg. Gardevoir suddenly hugged me, and upon contact, stiffened. She relaxed once again, and I wondered if that was only a part of my imagination. "Thank you," she said. She released me and backed away, looking at me, Ike, Junior and Peach as they appeared behind us, "From the bottom of my heart, thank you all."

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Ganondorf let us sleep in the village that night. He told me that he'll tell me the way out of the forest first thing in the morning. The four of us ended up in the same room, and for a while it was only me and Ike as Peach went with Junior to the stream so he could take a bath (he was covered in saliva). She also offered to wash our clothes. Ike was unusually, quiet, and I thought it was best not to bother him. As the sky darkened and the moon rose into view, there was knocking outside. Everyone was deep asleep, and it seemed like I was the only one with insomnia. I jumped out of the bed made of straw and made my way out the door. I was surprised to see Gardevoir.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked.

She sort of laughed, but nodded, "That's not why I'm here, though…"

"Is that so?"

"Will you walk with me?"

I looked back towards the dark room, figuring that if I wasn't going to sleep, I might as well do something, "Sure."

What happened a couple hours before was still evident. Some of the planks you walked on were either crushed or have collapsed, making it hard to get out of the village. The rubble didn't bother Gardevoir, though, and she led me to a bridge that gave a clear view of the sky. Gardevoir sat on the edge, and I did the same. We looked at the stars for a while before Gardevoir spoke, "I have clairvoyance powers," she said.

"You can see into the future?" I was amazed at this. The only other person I knew with this power was Lady Palutena.

"Yes… It's how I knew about Ivsaur. I always thought the aurora was just a dream, but that turned out to be a reality."

Gardevoir took me out to tell me about this? Somehow, I doubt she would tell me of her power for the heck of it, "Why are you telling me this?"

"You're quite the smart cookie, aren't you?" I didn't say anything, and Gardevoir stared at the moon, which was abnormally big tonight, "When I hugged you, I saw your future. Not just that—your whole life, too." I remained silent, and Gardevoir turned to meet my eyes, "I'm so sorry."

I ignored her obvious sympathy, "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell the others."

"Pit, you must abandon your quest!" She said all of a sudden.

I couldn't believe what she just said to me, "What!?"

"Pit, you helped me, so I'll help you… and my way of doing so is by advising you to just give up!"

I got up quickly and started backing away, paranoia setting in, "You're with them, aren't you!? Tell me, who do you serve!? Pikachu!? Jigglypuff!?"

Gardevoir was crying, "Pit, please listen! I saw your future! You make it to Tabuu, but…"

"But?"

"Just like your first quest, you will fail once again."


	7. The Forbidden Seven Part 1

**(Pit's POV)**

"Just like your first quest, you will fail once again."

I took some shaky steps back, turning my head from side to side, "No, you're lying."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Pit."One look at Gardevoir, and I knew it was the truth. I didn't know what to say, and neither did Gardevoir, who was waiting for a response.

I didn't give her any. I turned and ran, not daring to look back. The silence of the forest made each step sound deafening, but it at least told me that Gardevoir wasn't chasing after me. I made it to the tree house the others were sleeping in, and waited for my quick breathing to slow down before I entered. Ike, Junior, and Peach weren't visible, but I knew from the outline of their motionless bodies that they were in a deep sleep. I walked over to my bed, climbing on top and pulling the silk covers over my head. I closed my eyes, Gardevoir's face haunting my mind repeating over and over and over again the same damn phrase: "Just like your first quest, you will fail once again."

"No…" My voice came out soft, and it surprised me how weak it sounded, "It can't be true…"

The thought drifted me to sleep.

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"_Pit, the World of Trophies is not my realm. If anything were to happen, I would not be able to assist you in any way." _

_I looked up at Palutena from my kneeling position. Her face had a rare expression of worry, one that did not suit a powerful ruler such as herself. I gave her a smile, "Lady Palutena, please. What's the point of me becoming a trophy if I can't fight like them?" _

_She looked at me with what I first thought was uncertainty, but turned out to be disbelief, "You want to search for Roy. I know your desires, Pit, and as much as I admire that mortal, there is nothing we can do for him. The fact that I even told you his name could get me in trouble with Master Hand." _

_Yes. Master Hand, the Creator of this world. The past few years He's been acting rather strangely, like a tyrant. It was unusual for him, a deity that was known for having a passive spirit. Some speculate he's gone somewhere, and his counterpart Crazy Hand had taken his place for the moment. The hole in that theory is the fact that Crazy Hand is no tyrant… He's just crazy. It doesn't matter, though. Master Hand, Crazy Hand, or whoever made Roy a Forgotten. I had grown a strong hatred for them, and the only god I could trust now is my goddess, Lady Palutena._

"_Oh, Pit," She whispered._

_I blushed, remembering She had access into my mind. She can read my thoughts and those of other trophies as well. I have a similar telepathic ability, but it only works with Lady Palutena. It's how I'm able to communicate with her no matter the distance, "Lady Palutena… Roy granted me my wish; the least I can do is save him from his new status." _

_Palutena sighed, the type a mother gives to a naïve child, "Either way, you'll descend to the World of Trophies, won't you?" _

_I couldn't lie to her, "Yes…" _

"_In that case… let me bestow upon you a gift," Lady Palutena outstretched her arm, and a golden sphere of light hovered above her palm. It transformed into a bow of gold and sapphire, slowly making its way to me. I got a hold of the grip, and two halos formed around my wrist. _

_I stared at the weapon for a long while, "Your bow?" _

_"Go." _

_She did not need to tell me twice. Palutena opened the doors of her temple, and I jumped out. The wind whipped at my hair and made it hard to keep my eyes open, but I extended my wings, catching the current and letting the air lead me. I flew for a while enjoying the flight, spinning and making loops. This was the first time Palutena has ever allowed me to go to the World of Trophies by myself._

'_I wouldn't think that just yet.'_

"_Gah!" I forgot how to fly for a moment, and I dived a couple feet before I caught myself, "Lady Palutena?!" _

_There was no response. Had I imagined it?_

'_You're not imagining things, I'm speaking to you telepathically.'_

"_Lady Palutena?" I asked._

'_No, it's Medusa.'_

"_Not funny."_

_She giggled, "Did you really think I'll leave you in the World of Trophies alone?'_

"_Yes."_

'_Well, no. You're still new, and neither you nor I expect you to survive that long.'_

"… _I have faith in my abilities." _

"_Which you should, although I doubt you even know any of your abilities,' I was about to protest, but decided not to, knowing she was right, 'Still, just in case your faith is not enough, I'll be watching over you.'_

"_Thanks, Lady Palutena. You're too generous."_

'_It's my pleasure. Besides, it's not like you know where Roy is.'_

_That fact eluded me up to now, and I felt stupid just realizing it now, "I'm such an idiot…"_

'_I think it just shows how determined you are.'_

_I scanned the land below, miles of green plains as far as I can see. There was a river, but other than that, there was nothing else worth mentioning, "So you know where Roy is?"_

_Palutena took a moment to answer, 'I know where he is, but I haven't any clue where that place can be.'_

_I frowned, "Even with your all-seeing eye?"_

'_There's a special place where Forgotten are imprisoned, cut off from the outside world. It has many names, but is most commonly referred to as the Forgotten Forest. It's a forgotten place, hence the name, and for that reason, will not be easy to locate."_

"_What's our first move?"_

'_It would be best to be equipped for a long journey. Smashville should be coming into view in a few minutes. You can stock up on items there.'_

_I nodded, and flew the rest of the way in silence._

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_I landed close to the gate of Smashville. I was checking out the name inscribed overhead, when I bumped into someone. Straight ahead, my eyes landed on a chest. I looked up to see a guy with blue hair looking down at me, "Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," he said._

"_It's okay…"_

"_I'm Ike, by the way."_

_Palutena immediately responded, 'Pit, Ike is Roy's Replacement!" _

_My eyes widened. The purpose of a Replacement was to cut the ties of all the people their respective Forgotten has ever met. That included me._

_My eyes darkened, and I glared at Roy's Replacement. From what I can tell, the only thing the two had in common were blue eyes, a blue tunic, a sword, and a cape. Ike wore a headband, had messier hair, wore more armor, and was taller and burlier. His size seemed to fit the sword he wielded, a large golden sword that was almost as tall as me. I was suddenly intimidated by him, but I wasn't in any way going to let Ike know that, "That's nice," I said, in a tone that suggested that I thought the exact opposite._

'_Pit… it's best to act normal. You should be fine, as long as you don't mention Roy's name.'_

'_What happens when I say his name?' I thought._

'_Ike would be activated, and be turned hostile. He would send you into recreation if he finds out you still know who Roy is.'_

_Ike noticed my change in mood, and I gave my best fake smile, "Pike?"_

"_Uh, no, Ike is my name."_

"_Oh," I sighed, "I thought you said Pike—I heard, uh, terrible things about that guy. I'm Pit, by the way."_

'_Reeeeeeeal Smooth.'_

_I ignored her, and continued smiling at the swordsman._

"_It's nice to meet you, Pit."_

"_Likewise…" I tried making my way around him, but Ike wouldn't let me pass._

"_You're going into town?"_

"_Yes," I said sternly._

"_Where to?"_

'_Where to?'_

'_Item Shop,' Lady Palutena answered._

"_The Item Shop."_

"_That's nice."_

_Ike stood there, and I started to get annoyed, "Can I pass!?"_

"_Are you a trophy?"_

'_That's it, Palutena, I'm going to kill him.'_

'_Just play along. He was just created not too long ago; he currently has the mindset of a child.'_

"_Yes," I told him._

_His eyes lit up, and he gave me a wide smile, "Me, too! I was born yesterday! What about you? How old are you?"_

"_Um…" His enthusiasm caught me off guard, "A day… just like you…" _

"_Really? I didn't see you in the Chamber of Beginnings."_

"_I, uh, was formed beside my goddess. I serve Lady Palutena, you see."_

_Ike looked up thoughtfully, "Paltena? I think Zelda mentioned Her…She's one of the three gods of the World of Trophies, isn't she? Along with Master Hand and Crazy Hand?"_

"_Uh, correct, and it's Palutena… She's the Goddess of Light and Order."_

"_Yeah, I remember! Master Hand is the god of Creativity and Creation, while Crazy Hand is the God of Strength and Destruction!"_

"_That's right…" I said. At this point, I just wanted to get into town. _

"_That's so cool, you serve a goddess! Is Lady Paltena nice?"_

"_It's Palutena!" I corrected, "And yes, she's nice," I motioned for him to come closer, and when he bent down, I whispered into his ear, "Most of the time."_

_Ike grinned, and Lady Palutena called me ungrateful, 'Still,' she said, 'He's cute. When trophies are born, they are ever so loyal to the gods. Unfortunately, that changes once they become veterans…'_

'_I'll always be loyal to you, Lady Palutena.'_

"_Uh, Pit?"_

'_I know, Pit. You're obviously lost without me.'_

"_No way!" I said._

"_Pit?"_

_I blinked and looked at Ike who was staring at me strangely, "Uh… I meant… that was a lie… of course Lady Palutena is nice all the time."_

"_Oh, okay. I bet she's pretty, too, huh?"_

"_Oh, definitely. She has the most gorgeous hair—" I just blurted that out, and I clamped my mouth shut when I realized what I was saying._

'_Pit…?'_

_My face turned beet red and my feathers got ruffled, "Um, so uh, can you take me to the item shop?"_

_He laughed, "Sure."_

'_Explain yourself, Pit.'_

'_There's nothing to explain… you really are pretty, Lady Palutena…'_

_She didn't say anything, and I knew from the feeling of emptiness around me that she was gone. _

_I followed Ike as he led me through the town, a simple setting with houses and trees placed in rather strange places. The buildings weren't aligned as they usually are in other places, and there was no asphalt to speak of. It was all grass, trees, and flowers of unimaginable rich color. It was somewhat hard to believe that this was the center of the World of Trophies. Not only because of how it looked, but because the majority of the inhabitants that lived here were Recurrents, and anthropological animals at that._

_Ike said, "I got the opportunity to look around. Smashville is a nice place, but I don't feel like I belong here, you know?"_

"_I do, actually. Trophies are more accustomed to places that suit them based on what they represent."_

"_What do you mean?" _

"_You're a swordsman, so you would be comfortable in a medieval setting. I'm an angel, therefore, I would be at home up above."_

"_Heaven?"_

_I chuckled, "No, Skyworld."_

_Ike nodded and stopped to look around, "I apologize, Pit, I seemed to have forgotten where the item shop was at."_

_I didn't say anything. I tried calling Palutena, but there was no response. Did she really just cut me off? She would have been able to tell me easily where the item shop was. It didn't matter, though; I wouldn't know what to get anyway. I just hoped her absence was temporary, because without her knowledge, it would be impossible to locate… to locate…_

_I swallowed and closed my eyes._

_My heart started beating as my mind scrambled for the name of my friend. What was it again? It started with an R…R… Roy, yeah that was it. I sighed in relief. His name was Roy. Just like Ike, he was a swordsman with a cape, but unlike his Replacement, had dark red hair. _

"_Hey, Pit?"_

_I stared at Ike. I couldn't believe I almost forgot about Roy, only from being in Ike's presence. Still, I knew there was no way I would ever forget Roy. Not because we were close friends—that doesn't matter when it comes to a Replacement—but because Ike… was nothing like Roy. Not only do they look different, but Roy was sarcastic as heck. Half of the time, you wouldn't know if he meant something or not because his casual voice is the same as his joking voice. Because of that, people thought him as rude and insensible. _

_Ike wasn't like that. I didn't know him for that long, yet I knew he wasn't the type to joke around, "Do you know where the item shop is?" he asked. _

"_No... This is the first time I've been here."_

_Ike looked miserable when his eyes suddenly lit up, "I know, we could go to Zelda! She knows absolutely everything about this place!"_

_He grabbed my wrist without receiving a reply, and he took me to a section of town where the grass turned to stone, and suddenly Smashhville looked more urban. We passed through a plaza with a fountain at the center, and Ike pulled me through a couple blocks of various shops before we reached the Registration Building. I knew of this place. Right below was the Chamber of Beginnings, an area of mystery where all creations of Master Hand enter the World of Trophies. We entered the building, and to a lobby in which Ike said we must take the elevator. We went up two floors and got out in a room filled with boxing arenas and posters of landmarks on the walls. There were trophies fighting one other, and others testing out items stored in large bins. There was a Q&A board where many were gathered. Ike called a brunet over, Princess Zelda. I gulped. I knew her, and she knew me as a Recurrent. When her eyes landed on me, she frowned, but shook her head afterward. I let out a steady breath. I guess it was fortunate I was no longer a ginger, but a brunet like the princess. _

"_Ike, who's your friend?"_

"_This is—"_

"_Sky," I said, cutting off Ike. He frowned, but played along._

"_He was born yesterday, like me," Ike continued. Zelda took quick glances at the both of us before clapping her hands together, "Great! You two can fight one another! As trophies, it is good to be in combat every now and then."_

"_That's an awesome idea!" Ike exclaimed. I was about to make up an excuse, but Ike pulled me over to one of the arenas._

"_H-hey! I don't want to fight!"_

"_Come on, P—Sky! I want to see what I'm capable of!" _

_I heard a voice within my mind, 'Just go with it.'_

'_Lady Palutena!?'_

'_Do as I say.'_

'_Right…' When Palutena was serious, it was best to follow every order without question. I hate it when she gets like this, which fortunately, wasn't too often. Still, it made me wonder what brought this attitude. Did it have anything to do with what I said? __I twisted and pulled apart the grip of Palutena's bow, forming two blades. Ike and Zelda were caught off guard at the gesture, but honestly, I didn't really know what good they would have done me. Bow or blades, it was the first time I would ever battle using a weapon, or battle at all for that matter. _

_Zelda raised her hand once we were both in position; facing one another about a yard apart, "Remember, this is a friendly fight! When I call it off, it's off!" __We both nodded, and Zelda swung her hand down, "Start!" Ike and I remained motionless, and Zelda awkwardly repeated, "Um...Start!"_

_Ike rushed at me, and I staggered back, surprised at how quickly he closed the distance between us. I blocked his sword with both ends of the bow, but the strength Ike put into the attack forced me to back away. Ike kept swinging his sword at me, and I found it hard to keep up. His blade was suddenly engulfed with flames and with one single swipe, he sent me flying._

'_Pit!' Palutena yelled my name, and I cringed, 'Ike knows your connection with Roy! He's going to eliminate you!'_

_I jumped just as Ike ran past below me, and I slashed at his back, forming an X-shaped mark. I used my wings to stay in the air, Ike gripping his sword tightly with both hands, 'How does he know?' I asked Palutena._

'_It might just be your presence, your awareness of Roy.'_

'_Still…' I thought._

'_You must know Ike doesn't have a choice in the matter. He was designed this way. Don't worry too much, though. If Zelda calls off the fight, it's likely he will listen._

_I didn't like the sound of that, 'Likely?' _

'_Just dodge his attacks. He's pretty slow, so it shouldn't be too hard.'_

_Ike appeared in front of me and I blocked overhead. My arms began to shake when he eventually over powered me and sent me back down to the floor, 'You call this slow!?' _

_Palutena took a moment to answer, 'Well, compared to other trophies. In fact, I'm pretty sure Zelda is faster.'_

_I got up and turned the dual blades back into a bow, deciding it was best to attack him from a distance._

_Ike dodged every arrow I shot at him, and when he was close, I noticed that his eyes were glazed over. It distracted me, and Ike took the opportunity to attack._

'_Pit, watch out!'_

"_Stop!" Zelda ordered._

_Ike's blade halted a few inches from my face. Ike's eyes cleared, and he shook his head as if he was confused, 'You got lucky there, Pit…'_

'_No kidding…'_

"_Ike, this isn't a real fight. You can't use smash attacks," Zelda said._

_Ike scratched the back of his head, "Smash attacks?"_

_Zelda explained, "Smash attacks are moves that you charge in order to execute. You could have really hurt Pit!"_

_He looked at me sheepishly, "Sorry…" He suddenly winced and reached for his back, "Ow…"_

_Zelda ran over to him, "Let me take a look," she inspected his back, lightly touching the red marks, "You'll be fine. Remember what I said?"_

"_Umm…" Ike struggled to remember, but then smiled, "Right! Trophies heal quicker than people!" _

"_Correct!" Zelda said._

_I felt guilty for having injured him, "I'm sorry, Ike…"_

"_No need to apologize," he told me. Ike took out his hand, and I hesitated._

'_Take it… I doubt he'll activate twice in a row.'_

_I shook his hand, "That was a good battle," Ike said._

"_Yes," I agreed, "But I really have to go… Thanks for bringing me."_

_Zelda spoke up, "It's not safe for you to be outside, Sky. You were just created."_

_I looked at her, and I started to recall the way she used to treat me when I was a Recurrent. She was kind, but I knew the act was forced. I knew she felt like she was obligated to treat me nicely. I knew she pitied me, "I'll be fine," I told her, and I could tell she wanted to say something else, but I turned my back to her. _

"_Bye Pit!" Ike said, and Zelda gasped._

_I jumped out the open window before she could say anything. _

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My eyes snapped open, and I sat up, the whole room spinning. What was that all about? Why am I thinking about the first time I met Ike? And Zelda… That just brought bad memories…

I realized I was the only one in the room. Peach, Ike, and Junior were gone, and their beds were made as if they had never slept in them to begin with. I made my way outside, the sun shining brightly above. Pokemon Paradise was still a wreck, but many pokemon were helping carry broken wood out of the way and rebuilding paths to the other tree houses.

"Pit!" I turned to face the owner's voice that had called me. I knew who it was. Gardevoir stopped before me, panting, "Whoo. So many jumps you have to do now. Anyway, I'm here to check if you were up."

I didn't say anything, and Gardevoir looked down while playing with her hands nervously, "About what I said yesterday…"

"Forget it," I said, "We're leaving right now, anyway."

She looked up, "Shouldn't you eat first? Your companions are at the cafeteria. Ganondorf is there, too. They're actually all waiting for you."

I paused before sighing, "I guess I can eat before we depart…"

That seemed to have made Gardevoir happy, "It's this way."

Gardevoir was right about the many jumps. They were easy for me since I was able to hover over them easily, but by the time we entered the large tree that was the cafeteria, I was holding a dying Gardevoir in my arms gasping for air.

"You… could have… slowed down…" she said.

"Weren't you leading?" I saw Ganondorf's tall figure at the far end of the room, and I made way to his table where Ike, Peach, and Junior were also sitting eating apples. I set Gardevoir next to Ganandorf, and I sat next to Ike. I took one of his many apples he had in front of him, and bit into it. Ike glared, "What?"

"When are we going to have meat." It was more of a statement than a question.

I gave it some thought, "I'll ask Peach to cook the next Towtow we encounter," I said, ignoring her horrified face. I waved at Peach and Junior, "Sleep well?" Junior grumbled, and Peach simply nodded, "How about you, Ike?"

"Well enough."

The answer worried me, but before I can ask, Ganondorf cleared his throat, "I haven't all day—I have a Paradise to rebuild."

I took another bite of my apple, "Likewise—but my Paradise happens to be the World of Trophies."

Ganondorf ignored my comment, "I don't know the way out, but I know some trophies that might."

"I take it they are not pokemon?" I asked.

"No. I'm referring to the Forgotten, specifically, the Forbidden Seven." I chewed on the apple, thinking that it couldn't be Roy. He would fit in the category of Melee, the old name for the World of Trophies. I never heard of the Forbidden Seven, but I assume they were trophies that became Forgotten recently.

"They know the way out?"

Ganondorf locked eyes with me, his eyes fierce, but true, "They're your best bet."

I placed the finished apple in front of me and stole another from Ike's pile, "You know where they are, then?"

"Yes. To the north is an abandoned section of Pokemon Paradise which we have given to the Forbidden Seven in return for their permission to let us stay."

My mind clicked, "Hey, Junior, that should be where I found you playing the Wind Waker."

He cocked his head, "Really?"

I nodded, and turned to Ganondorf, "Is that it?"

"There's one more thing…" Ganondorf handed me a glowing shamrock with sharp ends and swirl designs on them. I took it, and he explained, "The Forbidden Seven won't come out unless you raise this up in the air. The shamrock tells them that you come from Pokemon Paradise. They will reveal themselves, and when they do, you can ask them for the way out of this forest."

I twirled the shamrock from the stem with my index finger and thumb, "I got it, thanks, Ganondorf."

"It's the least I can do," Ganandorf got up and left without another word.

I turned my attention towards the others, "Well, eat up. We'll be leaving once we're finished."

Peach and Junior suddenly started talking, as if Ganondorf's leave was the cue to do so, "So it turns out, Dave doesn't eat. I'm putting this apple in front of him, but he isn't doing anything…" Junior kept inching the said apple towards the Shadow Bug on the table. It remained motionless, and I seriously had to wonder why Junior would want to keep such a thing as a pet.

"So, Pit, tell us more about yourself!" The way Peach said it made it clear she was a morning person, unlike me. I rolled my eyes and ate my apple. She gave up on the topic and told me and Junior what happened after she screamed, how Ike came to her rescue, "I felt like such a damsel in distress; I felt so useless! Still, there's no denying Ike saved my life. He truly is a hero…"

I elbowed Ike and froze when I saw his expression. Was that a blush?

"I wouldn't say that, Peach, I lost the fight."

"Don't be modest! Not only were you sure to keep me safe, but you busted us out of our cell!"

"Oh yeah, how did you guys get out?" Junior asked. I was curious, too, but I kept my eye on Ike, who was staring at Peach. Was that… longing in his eyes? The only other person Ike looked at that way was Zelda. I studied the chemistry between the two, concluding it would be unlikely. After all, Peach still seemed to have feelings for Link. Not only that, but Peach wasn't Ike's type. Then again… Ike was a sucker for love.

Peach used her hands to demonstrate, "Ike reached out for the guard through the bars and kept banging him repeatedly. Honestly, it scared me a bit."

Ike frowned when Peach said that, "We got out, didn't we?"

"I suppose we did…"

We ate until our bellies were filled, which took a moment for Ike. Ivysaur had arrived sometime earlier, to give us his best wishes. He had trouble getting on the bench to sit next to Gardevoir. When he finally made it, he struggled further for a comfortable position, his pudgy arms barely reaching the table , "You guys leaving so soon?"

"Yeah," I told him.

"Well… you're always welcome… here. Right, Gardevoir?"

She sat up straight when she heard her name, "Huh? Oh, uh, yes, of course."

"I'm done," Ike said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"In that case…" I got up, Ike, Peach, and Junior doing the same. We bid farewell to Ivysaur and Gardevoir, Ivysaur waving and responding with multiple byes while Gardevoir stayed mostly silent, single nods confirming she had heard us.

My eyes lingered on Gardevoir as I remembered what she told me last night.

_Just like your first quest, you will fail once again._

I shook the thought away, "Let's go."

We left the cafeteria, and were about to head towards the ladder that led to the forest floor when Gardevoir called my name, "Pit!" I stayed in place, and the pokemon got my shoulder to turn me around, "Wait…"

"What do you want?" I didn't mean to sound so irritated, but it just came out that way.

She looked hurt at the tone of voice I would use on her, "Pit, just remember what I said."

I stared hard at the pokemon, "I won't let your words let my goal waver—I will succeed."

"For you, I hope that's the case," She looked at each one of us before she said, "The key to victory is staying together. The reason I predicted your quest to end in failure is because…"

Peach asked, "Wait, what?"

There was no point hiding it, "She saw my future," I said, grimacing.

"And… we fail?" Junior's voice shook, and Peach held him in comfort. Ike's face betrayed no emotion.

"I believe there is still a way you four shall be victorious."

I narrowed my eyes at her, but she didn't give in to my cold gaze, "How?" I asked.

"Trust one another, and stick together no matter what. In my vision, Pit fights Tabuu solo, and if that were to happen, he will face utter defeat."

Just like the first time…

Gardevoir's eyes glowed, and I heard her voice in my mind, 'If you truly wish to defeat Tabuu, you must strengthen your bond with the others. As time passes, they will lose their trust in you, and eventually there will be nothing to hold the group together,' I looked around, realizing I was the only one that was hearing any of this, 'I'll give you a hint to prevent such an event from happening, but it is not my place to interfere with your destiny. With that in mind, keep these words unforgotten, for the outcome of your quest depends on this; avoid the town on the cliff, and Tabuu will be slain.'

The glow in her eyes faded, and she smiled, "Well, I wish you all the best of luck," Gardevoir ran back inside the cafeteria, and stopped just past the doorway, "I've never been good at saying goodbye…Probably the reason why I never gave up on Suicune, but… I hope you'll come visit when this is all over."

"Of course," Peach said. I would have said something, but what Gardevoir said had my brain reeling, "We won't forget this place."

"I know you won't."

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**(Junior's POV)**

Pit hasn't said anything since we were in Pokemon Paradise, and it has really gotten me worried. We backtracked, going past the stream we were in yesterday, and the clearing where I lost Pit and Ike when they saw my scars. Pit asked me to take the lead, as he flew to the location, and did not know the way to the abandoned part of the Paradise by foot. If I had to be honest, I had no idea how to get there either, but I thought Pit wasn't in the mood to deal with that now.

Fog appeared all of a sudden, reaching to the bottom part of my knees. The trees closed in on us as if they wanted to trap us within their branches, and the deeper we went, the higher the fog rose until it had reached my chest. The forest floor was no longer visible, and it was then that Pit said something, "Junior, are you sure we're going the right way?"

"The forest looks different…" The leaves of the trees were darker, and the bark on their trunks looked knotted and twisted. The fog gave the atmosphere a creepy feeling, and the way ahead was black. The sun, which was present a few minutes ago, had disappeared, replaced by more black and spider leg branches.

"Did you get us lost? I can't believe it…"

"Pit, you can't blame him," Mom said.

The angel turned away and grabbed a fistful of his bangs, "You're right, I'm sorry," Mom and I frowned at Pit; even Ike looked at him strangely. Pit saw our faces, "What?"

"Nothing…" Mom said, "Anyway, Junior, do you remember the way to the abandoned section of the Paradise?"

"I'm pretty sure I ran in a straight line…" I kept my eyes on Pit. It would be like him to ignore Mom, but he apologized? Something was off, and I had a feeling it had something to do with Gardevoir staring at him back in Pokemon Paradise. Yeah, I thought it was weird how her eyes glowed, and Pit's expression turning into that of pure shock. Did she do something to him? "We should have gotten there by now."

"How peculiar…" Mom took a couple paces before she paused, "Is it just me, or has the fog gotten thicker?"

She was right. Not only that, but it had risen as well. It reached to my neck, close to consuming my entire body, "Mom," I was a bit embarrassed to ask, "Can I hold on you? I won't be able to see if the fog keeps rising like this."

"Sure, wouldn't want to lose you," Mom made her way over to me, taking large steps as if going over short hurdles. She suddenly yelped and fell over, and I ran to where she was.

"Mom!" The fog went over my head as I kneeled, groping the ground for my mother. My hands only felt grass and dirt, muddy and wet from the condensation, "Mom! Mom! Say something so I can help you up!" There was no reply, and my heart started beating, "Pit! Ike!" I waited, only for silence to answer. I got up, the whiteness of the fog taking over my vision. I looked around desperately, but there was nothing but white all around. Where did everyone go? I reached for my shoulder, relieved to feel Dave under my palm. I got a hold of him and put him in my pouch so he would be safe. My fingers grazed the Wind Waker, and I had an idea. I got the handle and closed my eyes. Once I was ready, I started waving the Wind Waker, a soft wind following its motion. I opened my eyes to see the fog swirling with the wind, and I started to twirl the Wind Waker over my head. The fog followed, looking like a white tornado. I spun the baton faster and faster, and flicked my wrist; the fog disappeared into the sky, lifting the branches of the trees momentarily and letting the sunshine seep through.

I lowered my hand, taking in my surroundings. Mom, Pit, and Ike were nowhere to be seen, and I was in the other forest with the darker trees. It was strange—it looked nothing like Pokemon Paradise. I knew forests had diverse plant life, but this was ridiculous. The ground had more soil than grass, and there were no flowers like the ones on the forest floor under the Paradise. That one had more life and beauty to it, while this was just looked sinister. It felt empty, compared to the wholesome nature of the forest where Pokemon Paradise is. I put the Wind Waker back into my pouch, and I felt Dave hop onto the back of my hand. I brought my fist close to my face, to see Dave shuddering. I whipped around, but saw nothing.

"Dave, why are you shuddering?" Of course he didn't answer, but continued trembling and jumping. Didn't he only do that when there was a monster nearby? No—yesterday, when we had found Ivysaur, Dave had started shuddering, having sensed the chaos that was occurring at Pokemon Paradise. So Dave can sense danger? That only got me more worried. What can be the reason for him acting up now?

"C-come out!" I cried, "There's no use hiding! I know you're there!"

I didn't expect anything to happen, but I heard a giggle behind me, "How curious! You knew of my presence simply from analyzing the actions of your shadow bug pet?"

I swerved around, seeing a figure in a brown hooded cloak. I knew there was a girl under the there, judging from the voice. I would say she was my height, but it was hard to tell with the distance between us, "Who are you?"

The figure's shoulders lowered slightly, "It doesn't really matter who I am. Even if I were to tell you my name, you would forget it almost immediately."

I squinted, trying to see her face, but the large hood blocked everything but her chin, "Tell me, see if I forget."

"Tetra."

"Tetra?" The name sounded familiar to me, "That's a weird name."

"If so, will you remember it?"

"I'll try, but foreign names were always hard for me to memorize."

"It's not foreign," Tetra said, "But enough about that. How did you get here? The Forgotten Forest is not an easy place to wander into."

"Really?" I asked, "Because it was pretty easy for us."

Tetra was silent for a moment, "Us? I take it you don't mean your shadow bug?"

"Dave? No, I'm talking about my Mom, Ike, and Pit."

"Pit…" she trailed off, "What business do you have here?"

I frowned; did she know him? Man, that guy really gets around, "We want to know the way out. Do you know?"

"I do."

I beamed, "Great!" Something clicked, "Wait…Does that mean you're a Forgotten?"

She studied me for a moment, and I felt uncomfortable, "How much do you know?"

"Well, Ganondorf called you guys the Forbidden Seven."

Tetra didn't say anything for a long time, "What's your name?"

"Junior," I replied.

"That's a suffix," Tetra stated, "What's your real name?"

I really hated telling people my first name, for the fact that I'm named after him… It looked like there was no way out of it, though, because Tetra was patiently waiting for me to tell her, "Link," I said.

"Link!? You're my—" She caught herself, and I frowned. Tetra outstretched her hand, and I stared at it for a moment, "I'll help you look for your companions."

I didn't know if I could trust her, especially with the sudden change in attitude, but I saw the sincere smile she wore on her face, and I accepted her hand, "Thanks, Tetra…"

She started walking, and she pulled me along, resting her head on my shoulder, "I no longer have to imagine what you look like…"

"What?"

She giggled, "It's nothing br—Link."

I thought it was strange how close she was to me, but something about it felt right, "Tetra…"

"Yes?"

I gripped her hand a little tighter, "Your right, it's not foreign."

**(Ike's POV)**

Something told me it wouldn't be so easy. The way Ganondorf described it made it seem like finding the Forbidden Seven would be simple, but as soon as the forest changed appearance, I knew there would be some complications. A sudden fog had enveloped the forest, and not a moment after the others had disappeared. It didn't bother me, at least, in the beginning. I knew Pit and Junior would be all right by themselves, but the moment I thought of Peach, I started to worry. There were no monsters in sight, but the idea of Peach alone in a forest did something to me. Her trembling body became a virus in my mind, and I was incapable of thinking about anything else. I shook my head wildly—what's happening to me? Why is Peach making me feel this way? Just the thought of her getting hurt made my knuckles turn white as I gripped my sword with all the force I had. I hated Ganondorf for approaching Peach in such a vulnerable state, and if she weren't there, I would have had my way with him. I didn't want Peach to see the anger I had inside of me, the anger I sensed the moment Junior woke me up in the Fields. There was a beast inside of me, and it had shown itself at the jail where Peach and I were locked up. Hitting the guard against the bars of the cell felt so good—the way its eyes rolled in its head amused me, and I kept at it despite it being unable to fight back from the first few hits. The way Peach stared at me that time was different than any way she had ever looked at me before—with fear. She brought it up again at the cafeteria, and when she admitted that she felt scared, I felt hollow inside. I didn't want her to think of me like that. I wanted her to see me as someone she could trust.

What was this I kept bottled up inside? Was it hidden feelings from my past? If so, does Pit know about it? Even if he did, how would I bring it up? "Hey, Pit, do I have some anger issues?" I chuckled darkly. No way. It didn't feel natural, and besides, what would I be so mad about? I remembered what Ness said—I left Pit at one point. Did it have to do with the reason for that? It couldn't be, because I had forgiven him, right? I took out the letter, all crumpled up and folded from being in my bag. I read Pit's handwriting, messy, but readable:

_Ike,_

_Okay, so I know I'm probably the last person you'd want to see, but there's seriously no one I can trust but you. With Tabuu having made every one believe He is their god, the chance of finding someone unfaithful to Him is close to zero. I want to fix things between us, and despite apologizing many times with no result, I'll do it once again. I'M SORRY! I know it's harsh, but it's time to get over what happened, because the world is at stake here. Don't stand back when you know there's something going on. The first quest might have ended in failure, but we really have no choice but to take another crack at it. If you've forgiven me and are willing to help me this second time around, come to the Fields near the nameless town. I'll give you time to think about it; I'll be there Saturday._

_Sincerely,_

_Pit_

_PS_

_If it counts for anything, I'M SOORRRYYYYY!_

What did he do? Did it have to do with Sheik? I had a dream last night, and there was a girl clad in tight leather and bandages. There were symbols worn all around her attire, and the only skin visible was her fingers, and top half of her face. Despite that, I knew she was beautiful, and her dirty blond hair tickled my nose as she embraced me. Pit said Sheik was my girlfriend, so I assumed this was her. Still—and I knew this was a dream— but hugging her back, I felt nothing; no emotion whatsoever. It only made me feel worse when she spoke, her voice soft and whispery, not easily classified as a male's or a female's.

"_I love you."_

Forget it.

It shouldn't bother me too much, yet…

I wish I knew who I was, the people I knew. Pit is telling me close to nothing, even though he is the one person that can answer all my questions. Why is he holding back? I'll ask him about Sheik again—Roy, too. I don't care for any excuses he might have—I'm getting answers. Even if I am getting lost memories from dreams and fragments, I don't know what to do with any of them. If that was Shiek, then great, at least I knew what she looked like. Pit said she was my girlfriend, but something made me doubt that. True, we seemed close, considering the contact we were making, and what she said, but I wouldn't date her if the feelings weren't mutual, right?

"_I love you."_

"Forget it!" I cried.

"You're in turmoil," a voice said.

I turned around, my eyes landing on a figure wearing a brown cloak. It was levitating in the air, the only part visible being a purple tail that came out from under the cloak.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"There's no point in stating my name—you would forget it upon leaving the forest," I said nothing, and the figure continued, "You do wish to leave, don't you?"

"I can't right now."

"How gallant," his voice dripped with sarcasm, "Not without your friends, at least, am I right?"

I stared at him suspiciously, "Does that mean you'll help me?"

The figure slowly descended, "This world has enough Forgotten."

I remembered what Ganondorf said, "You're part of the Forbidden Seven. What's that all about?"

The figure turned and started moving, "We're not meant to exist."

"How come?"

"The reasons vary."

I decided to stay silent, assuming the figure did not wish to speak. He gave short, general answers, the type of response you give to someone to avoid telling them the truth. I didn't want to push him, especially since I didn't really care about what he had to say. As long as he leads me to the others, I'll gladly respect his privacy.

"Smart boy."

**(Peach's POV)**

My whole body cringed in disgust at the taste of dirt in my mouth. I slowly got on my knees, sputtering the dark soil from my mouth. Upon closing it, I felt more tiny rocks and sand, and started spitting nonstop until I was interrupted by someone, "Eh…"

I swerved around to see a figure in a brown hooded cloak. The top half of his face was concealed by the large hood and its shadow, and all that was visible was the man's large bulb-like nose and bushy mustache. I blushed furiously, imagining what I must look like. My tongue was out like a dog, and my eyes had tears in them. The figure just stood there, and I figured that he wasn't a threat.

"Thoo you haff a thithoo?" I asked.

The figure tensed and reached inside his cloak to pull out a white handkerchief. He looked away as I took it gratefully, wiping it against my tongue and cleaning out my mouth. "Thank you, and, umm…" I held out the now brown handkerchief, wet with my saliva.

"You can keep it," the figure said.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, "I fell, and it's a reflex to scream, and so—"

He waved his hands wildly, "Don't apologize!"

I stopped mid sentence, "Uh…"

"I-it's fine, is what I'm trying to say," the figure explained, "A lass like you shouldn't be in a place like this to begin with."

I put the handkerchief in the pocket of my apron, wiping my fingers afterward, "Well, I came with my son and— "

"S-son!?"

I blinked, "Y-yes, my son."

The figure held the sides of his head mumbling nonsense before asking, "Who's the father!?"

I was wondering why the man even cared, "I doubt you know him. His name is Link."

"Link!? It can't be! Doesn't he know my fee—" The figure caught himself and cleared his throat; "I'm Dr. Mario. May I ask for your name?"

"Peach," I answered, "I came here with my son, Junior, and two close friends of mine, Ike and Pit."

"Pit?"

"Do you know him?" I asked.

He ignored my question, "If you came with company, how did you end up alone?"

"I…" I paused. There was fog, but the guy would think I'm crazy if I were to say that. Fog doesn't appear this time of day, and at the moment there weren't even signs of condensation to hint that there was mist in the area. Looking up at the blue sky, it was unlikely the Doctor would believe me, "I don't know."

He nodded, "Your friends haven't disappeared; that's for sure. I can help you find them, but I can't guarantee they will be found immediately."

"That's fine, thanks," the Doctor turned, and I followed him a few paces back, "So, uh, are you just walking to some random direction, or…?"

"I'm taking you to the Hub. It's a place my colleagues hang out."

The Doctor continued walking, and I remembered what Ganondorf said, "Say, by any chance, you wouldn't be a Forgotten, would you?"

The Doctor lifted his head slightly, "You know of us Forgotten?"

"No," I said, "All I know is what Ganondorf said about the Forbidden Seven; they know the way out of the forest."

"Ganondorf…" the Doctor stopped and turned, "Has he any business with us?"

"No," I repeated, "We want the way out of the forest."

The Doctor continued walking, "Don't we all…"

I frowned, "You can't leave?"

"If we were able to leave, we would have done so a long time ago."

"I-I'm sorry," I said.

He stopped, "I'll tell you this for future reference. A Forgotten is a trophy that has been punished by the Creator. They lose their ability to fight, and they are forgotten by every inhabitant in the World of Trophies. This place, the Forgotten Forest, is where most of us are kept, caged from the outside world so that eventually, everyone we ever met will forget who we are. Once we are completely forgotten, we cease to exist."

"That's horrible," I managed, not knowing what else to say.

The Doctor grunted, "Seeing that I'm still here, someone out there must remember me, even if they don't know it themselves…" He looked at me, and I stared back confused when I realized what he was implying.

"Oh, no," I said, "Believe me, I have no idea who you are…"

"Perhaps consciously; I can't think of any other trophy that would be stubborn enough to forget me."

The Doctor continued walking, and I had to rush a bit to catch up with him. For such a stout man, he was pretty quick on his feet, "Dr. Mario…"

"Yes?" He didn't turn.

"Something about the name doesn't sound right."

"'Doctor' is my profession, and 'Mario' is my first name, if that's what you mean."

"You don't have a last name?"

"Do you?" He asked.

"Toadstool," I told him. The Doctor didn't say anything, and I started to look around. The forest looked the same in every direction, and it made me wonder how the Doctor knew where he was going. My mind went back to the moment when Dr. Mario handed me the handkerchief, and I reached for it, taking it out of my pocket to take a closer look. It wasn't completely plain—in one corner, there were the initials "DM" embroided in cursive. My vision crossed, and I held my head. The Doctor did not realize I stopped following until I let out a moan. My head started pulsing, worse than any migraine I had ever gotten before. I fell on my knees, my eyes frozen on the Doctor's initials stitched on to his handkerchief.

"Peach!"

I barely felt his hands hold me, and my whole body began to shake. How was this possible? My vision blurred, and I held the handkerchief closer to my face. DM. DM. DM. DM. Fancy loops made the letters look cute and girly. It would odd for a man like Dr. Mario to have it, unless it was given to him by a special someone. Buried memories submerged of me inside a room, holding a needle and cloth with a shaky hand.

I gave up on sewing, but I know how to do it. I haven't done it in a long time, and the reason I remember now is because the handwriting looked so familiar. It was sloppy and jagged, as if a young girl had made it, but I knew that wasn't the case. After all, even of needle and thread, I would recognize my handwriting anywhere.

My body felt limp, and Dr. Mario caught me before my back touched the ground. I was only able to utter the next couple words before I blacked out completely—

"I was your nurse…"

**(Pit's POV)**

"Ike! Peach! Junior!"

I called each of their names with no result. I stopped, panting, and looked around. Junior was right; the forest had changed. Some paths were inaccessible because the trees' branches blocked the way like a gate. Similarly, they formed a ceiling that only allowed sunlight to seep through in tiny golden beams. The ground was made up of a dark, rich soil that had made its way into my sandals when I was running around searching for the others. Seriously, where were they? There was a fog, and when it had cleared up, they disappeared along with it.

I started running again, looking left and right, hoping to catch a glimpse of any one of my companions. I saw a figure leaning against a tree in my peripheral vision, and I stopped abruptly to take look at it. I froze as my eyes landed on someone wearing a brown hooded cloak. His face was hidden under the shadow of his hood, only the bottom of his face visible. His arms were crossed, but they went to his sides as he got off the tree and approached me slowly.

I backed away, "Who are you?" The figure smirked, and I gritted my teeth, "Answer me!"

"Since when were you so demanding?" he teased.

I frowned, "What?"

"You're really hurting my feelings right now, Pit."

Who was this guy? Something about him had me on the edge. I wasn't sure if he was friend or foe, but I kept a tight grip on my bow, "How do you know my name?"

The figure was right before me, and his hands reached for the edge of his hood before he set them back down, "I would show you my face, but I want to know if you still remember."

I frowned, "Remember what?"

"And people call me dense?"

My eyes narrowed, "It can't be…" It was as if this guy knew me, but that would be impossible considering the Memory Loss. The only person that wouldn't have their memory wiped would be Palutena, but I knew this wasn't her. The only other person it can be is…

I tried to take a closer look at the figure's face, and he pulled his hood down further, "Whoop! No cheating!"

"Roy?"

"No, it's Lady Palutena with a voice-over."

I felt like an idiot not recognizing his voice sooner. I leaned in closer, and the he attempted to keep his face away. I swiped at his hood, and it slipped off his head, "Hey!" he protested.

Since he was looking at the ground, I couldn't see his face, but the red hair was unmistakable, "It is you…" He didn't say anything, and he reached for his hood. I took the opportunity of his arms being up to embrace him. I felt him stiffen, but he quickly relaxed. He patted my back, and I let go, wiping my eyes when I realized they were wet, "I-I've been looking for you ever since you became a Forgotten… I'm sorry it took so long, but so much has happened…" I looked up at him and my breath ran short, "What the—"

Roy quickly put his hood back on, and I kept staring at him, "It's fine," he said, "It's not like I don't mind being here."

"Roy, what was that?"

He ignored me, "So what delayed you?"

"Roy."

He sighed, "Dude, just forget it…"

Was that the reason why he wore the cloak? His right eye and the area around were completely gone, replaced by a 3D grid that maintained the general shape of that part of his face. I was able to look inside; nothing but empty space, like a wire-frame model. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it, but it looked like his skin was disintegrating. It could have only meant one thing—

"You're dying…"

"It's nothing," he said, "My existence is unstable, that's all."

How could he sound so calm about it? "What does that even mean!?"

"I guess one person isn't enough to keep a Forgotten from disappearing."

"B-but…" I couldn't possibly be the only one. I ran through a list of trophies he was close to, and remembered Roy's best friend, "Marth! What about him?"

Roy snorted, "He has long forgotten about me."

"You don't know that…"

"Oh?" Roy laughed miserably, "He would be the first my Replacement would go after!"

I stared at the figure. This wasn't Roy. Roy was a happy-go-lucky guy. He made everyone mad with his pranks and sarcastic comments. He didn't care what other people thought of him. He was nice to younger trophies, especially those of the bottom class. When I first met him as a Recurrent, he was training for a rematch against Marth, a friend who he had a rivalry with. I was hiding behind a bush, admiring his swordplay from a distance. Roy took note of my presence, and urged me to come out. I expected him to attack me, but instead he let me watch him practice. I started visiting him daily, and that's when we slowly became friends. Roy was the type of person you can confide in, despite his big mouth. When it had to do with secrets and personal dreams, he knew how to keep them to himself. Besides Palutena, Roy was the only other person that I told about my wish—to become a trophy that can fight. I was scared when I told him, but he simply laughed and slapped my back, calling me crazy. I glared at him, and he looked at me with soft eyes.

"_I'll make your wish come true."_

I assumed that he was just saying that to keep my spirits up, but weeks later, he found a way to make me an Unwanted. That act made me look up to him even more, and I swore to repay Roy somehow for making my dream a reality. I wondered how, exactly, and the opportunity presented itself when Lady Palutena said that Roy was made a Forgotten as punishment of making me a trophy. I started to search for him, and that's when I met his Replacement, Ike.

Ike!

Crap, it wouldn't be a good idea for him to see Roy. Who knows what he would do? He might even try kill him. Roy noticed my expression, "What's up?"

I didn't say anything for a while. Roy had enough to deal with. I can't imagine being stuck here for five years. How did he not go insane? Although, from the way his personality change, the time he spent here has changed him in other ways, "Too make a long story short—a god named Tabuu is planning on taking over the World of Trophies. My companions and I were on our way to the Imperial Tower to stop Him when we wandered into this place."

"You want out," Roy concluded.

I nodded, "I'm assuming you're part of the Forbidden Seven. Ganondorf told me that you guys knew the way out of the forest." I took out the shamrock from my pouch, handing it to Roy. He held it for a moment and gave it back, walking past me, "Roy?"

"We thought you were intruders. It's likely the other Forgotten will bring your friends to the Hub to regroup."

"All right…"

"It's this way," his voice was monotonous.

Roy's attitude changed completely. If he was different before, now he was another person, someone I never met. It scared me. It was as if the Roy I knew no longer existed, "Roy, is something wrong?"

He hesitated before he answered, "It's great you found me, but this is the farthest you can go."

"Are you telling me to give up on you?"

He didn't say anything.

I scoffed, "Roy, there's no way I'll do that, especially now that we're finally face to face! We'll figure something out, I promise! There must be a way to make you a trophy again—"

"Shut up!" Roy yelled.

I took a step back, "Roy—" I started, but he took off his cloak entirely to reveal himself in his usual tunic. He wore the same thing back at the World of Trophies, but his time it was all I was able to see. His arms and fingers were invisible, replaced by the same grid that was on his face. He raised his hand, his digits transparent. It looked like his gauntlet was floating in midair. When he spoke, it was barely above a whisper, and I knew it was because he didn't want me to know he was crying.

"Just forget about me," he said, "I'm practically gone already."


	8. The Forbidden Seven Part 2

**(Junior's PoV)**

"So, uh, any idea where we're going?" I glanced at Tetra beside me; we were still holding hands.

She smiled and looked back, "No; I'm hoping, eventually, we'll just bump into your companions. From the looks of how it's going so far, it appears like it's going to take a while. It doesn't matter, though. I'm quite enjoying our little stroll."

My face fell, "You can't be serious…"

Tetra giggled, "I like your expressions, Link, they're really easy to read."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "Can't say the same for you, I can't even see your face."

Silence took over Tetra, and the atmosphere suddenly changed. It was as if all the heat was taken away from the area we were in. The forest looked sadder than ever, and their branches had less leaves than the ones we passed before. The smell of earth no longer smelled so great—it was a reminder that there was no life growing in the soil other than empty trees with soft bark, bitten through multiple times by small insects.

I looked at Tetra after she pulled her hand away from my hold. I gulped and reached out for her, laying my palm gently on her shoulder. She didn't react, and I didn't know if that was a good thing or not. I was alone in this forest, and Tetra was the only company I had. I don't know what I said, but I never meant to offend her, if I had in any way. Things were going so well; this was the first time a girl has ever held my hand, and I wanted to continue doing it, "I-I'm sorry. Was it something I said?"

She shook her head, "No… You're right. It's only fair that you see my face, considering everything I know about you."

"I just told you my name…" I said, confused.

Tetra didn't say anything, and she removed her hood.

I was speechless at first, at how beautiful she was. Her hair was as blond as mine, full, but longer. I couldn't tell how long, as it went inside the large hood that was now against her back. Her eyes were large and dark, capturing all the light available and making them shine bright. Her skin was fair and looked so smooth to touch…I was taken a bit by surprise when I saw her ears. They were elf-like, the same as mine.

I blinked after Tetra started looking at me strangely. My face felt hot, and my heart was beating around so fast; I thought it would be able to move my body back and forth in its quick rhythm, "Uh… you're really pretty… I-I thought you hid your face 'cause it was repulsive or something." I clamped my mouth shut. Why the heck would I say that!?

Thankfully, Tetra giggled, "No…" She shuffled around, and lifted her cloak so that it would cover more of her neck. I frowned at the gesture, and she laughed nervously, "There's a lake near here… want to go there?"

I nodded, "Yeah!"

Tetra took my hand, and my face radiated more heat. At this point, I was afraid Tetra would notice the sudden rise in temperature. We started walking, and I stumbled a few times because I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. It was as if my eyes and Tetra's face were magnets—I couldn't look away. I was suddenly conscious of my sweaty hand, despite Tetra wearing some sort of gloves that felt like silk.

I pulled my hand and wiped it against my tunic, showing Tetra a cheeky smile so as not to suspect anything. I froze after I was done, not knowing if I should just grab her hand, or if I should ask for her permission. Tetra took it herself, and I sighed in relief.

"Your face is really red… do you have a fever?"

"N-NO!"

"Okay…Well, we're almost at the lake, so you can cool off there."

"I'm not hot," I told her.

"Really? It's the middle of the day, and that tunic of yours looks like it shouldn't be worn in the summer…"

"I like it."

She smiled, "Me too—it looks really good on you."

I felt more heat in my ears and face, "Now that you mention it… It really is hot…"

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"This is the lake I told you about," Tetra said.

"Oh, wow!"

The lake water was clear; you were able to see the bottom. Leaves that have fallen from the trees surrounding the lake gently floated along its surface, creating the slightest ripples. The forest was starting to get hot, but being here near the lake was enough to make you feel fresh again. Tetra sat down with her knees bent, and I sat next to her with my legs crossed.

"Won't you go swimming?" She asked.

"Me?" Tetra nodded, "Uh, no…" Last time I got in the water, it didn't go so well. Pit and Ike saw my scars, and I ended up running away to avoid telling them about it. Pit searched for me, and when he did, I eventually told him everything. It wasn't hard for me, not really; I was more afraid of what he thought of me. I was also afraid of Mom finding out. I guess Ike told her, because she asked me about it. I expected her to get angry, but instead she started crying. She thought it was her fault that I had the scars, because she told me countless times that she never wanted to see me fight. I told her that I went to the Fields despite her wishes, and she looked so relieved. I smiled at the memory, and wondered how she was doing now. Is she all alone, or is she with Pit and Ike? She might even be with another Forgotten. The idea intrigued me.

"So Tetra…" She turned to look at me, "I was wondering about the Forbidden Seven. Who are the other members?"

"What's the point in me telling you?" Her eyes darkened, "You would forget them once you leave."

"This again?" I asked. Tetra wore a scowl on her face, "Look, I can't tell you for sure if I'll remember them, but I know for a fact that I won't if you don't even tell me their names."

She sighed after a long moment, "Very well. I'm, as you know, Tetra. My best friend is Dixie. There are three pokemon—Mewtwo, and twins Plusle and Minun. The oldest in age is Dr. Mario, and our leader is Roy."

"Roy!?"

"Yes."

"I know Roy! Pit told me about him! See, I can remember!" I fist pumped the air, and Tetra looked at me strangely, "What?"

"You know Roy?"

"Well…no…" I said, "Pit told me he was dead. I guess he meant he was a Forgotten."

"How curious… I wonder the connection of Pit and Roy. Do you have any idea?"

"I think he said they were friends."

"I see…" I looked around, and saw a large tree behind Tetra. I looked at her nervously, and she asked what was wrong, "I need to pee," I said, blushing.

"Oh? Well, don't ask for my permission. I'll be here when you come back."

"Okay…" I got Dave and handed him to Tetra. She took the shadow bug with both hands, "Take care of him, will you? I wouldn't want him to move around all over the place while I'm, uh, you know. The first time it happened, I wet EVERYTHING."

Tetra gave me the I-did-not-need-to-know-that face. My face flushed further, and I just went along behind the large tree I had spotted earlier. I thought about Tetra, and how pretty she was. The last girl I liked was Ashley from Daycare, but I don't think it would have ever worked. She was a goth and mostly silent. I haven't known Tetra for that long, but the time I have spent with her so far was enough to make me believe that we could be friends. Maybe even buddies. Yeah, I would like that. Would Tetra want me as a buddy? She did say I looked good in my tunic. That has to mean something. She's just soooooo pretty! I want to touch her hair—I bet it's super soft and silky. Mom and Dad used to kiss, and I wondered what it felt like… Would Tetra let me do that to her?

When I was done, I made my around so that I could scare Tetra from behind. I wonder if she's the type to scream all high-pitched. Maybe she'll get mad, or maybe she'll be too frightened to care. I just wanted to see a reaction. As I approached the spot where Tetra was sitting, I saw that there was another hooded figure beside her. They were talking, and out of pure curiosity, I paused for a moment, hidden behind a tree.

"I'm ecstatic Dixie! I finally know what my brother looks like!"

I frowned; was she talking about me? She couldn't be. There's no way we can be related. The other hooded figure spoke, "I don't know, Tetra. Are you sure it's not just some random blond kid? There are a lot of blonds in this world. Heck, I'm blond, and I'm a monkey!"

"Dixie, I told you, his name is Link! My brother's name is Link! We even look alike, you'll see!"

I was speechless. Tetra is my sister? In that case, her reaction when I told her my name makes perfect sense. I can't believe I was starting to like my sister that way. Still, despite knowing we're related, I couldn't shake off this confused adoration for her.

"If you're so sure then, I can't wait to meet him. What's he like?"

Tetra giggled, "He gets embarrassed easily. Sometimes, he says the most random things. Overall, he's just adorable!"

My face got red, and Dixie laughed, "He sounds like someone I can mess with!"

"Please don't," Tetra begged.

The figure grumbled, "Fine."

"Anyway… when he arrives, don't tell him that we're related."

My ears perked up, and Dixie asked, "Why not?"

It took a while for Tetra to answer, "It would hurt me more if he forgets me knowing I'm his sister. I'd prefer it if it were like this, him and I as total strangers. It won't hurt as much, you know?"

"Not really, but then, I never get your reason for half the things you do."

"Just don't mention it, all right?"

"Sure, sure."

"Hm, he's been gone for a while now…"

I took that as my cue, and entered the clearing, "Man, it won't have to rain for a whole year with all I gave that tree!" I mentally slapped myself for not coming up with a better entrance quote.

Tetra looked disgusted, and Dixie laughed hysterically, "Oh my god, I already know he's nothing like you!"

Dave hopped down from Tetra's lap, and I picked him up, placing him on my shoulder. I looked at Dixie, and faked a frown, "Whose this?"

"This is—"Tetra began, but I cut her off.

"Wait, let me guess!" The figure had her eyes on me, and I pretended to be in deep thought about it, "Minun!"

"No…"

"Plusle?"

"No…"

"Roy!"

"Roy is human!"

"Jeez, you don't have to yell, Tetra."

Tetra's mouth went agape, "I didn't—"

"You raised your voice…"

Tetra began sputtering and Dixie took over, "My name is Dixie Kong. Please excuse Tetra; she only wants people to see her sophisticated side."

"Oh," I said, "Is she a really horrible person deep inside?"

"You have no idea."

Tetra slapped Dixie's shoulder, "Dixie!"

"I'm only joking!"

"Right…"

"Anyway, I came looking for you for a reason," Dixie said.

"Is that so?"

Dixie nodded, "It has to do with… Link, was it?" The figure looked my way.

"I prefer Junior," I told her.

"Very well," she turned back to Zelda, "Mewtwo has informed me that the 'intruders' happen to be Junior and his companions. He told me to tell you to bring him to the Hub. The other Forgotten will bring the rest of the trophies there."

"I see…"

"Tetra, we must take Junior to the Hub immediately. You know the Forgotten Forest is no place for him."

"Can't he stay here a bit longer?" It shocked me a bit how desperate she sounded.

Dixie shook her head, "I'm sorry… It's time."

Tetra looked over my way with sad eyes. They only seem to get blurrier when she stopped at my feet. I looked down and gasped. Below where I was standing, there were shamrocks growing in a perfect circle. They weren't there before, and I realized it was the same kind of shamrock Ganondorf gave to Pit.

"What is this!?" I took a couple steps back, and stumbled when I noticed that more shamrocks were growing out of the soil where I had stepped upon. It made a green trail to where I was now, forming another patch of four-leaf clovers.

Tetra covered her mouth in efforts to conceal a sob, "I barely got to know you…"

My heart collapsed when I saw the tears fall, "What?"

Tetra shook her head, and Dixie answered for her, "The forest just now realized that you do not belong here. The birth of a Clover of Exit signifies that it is time for you to leave."

Tetra got up quickly and ran, "Tetra!" I reached out for her, but Dixie pulled me back, "Dixie—"

"I think she needs some time alone," she said.

"But…" I trailed off, not knowing what to tell the figure. I wanted to go after Tetra, I wanted to comfort her.

"I'll take you to the Hub. Tetra will most likely be there… you'll get your chance to say goodbye then."

The figure started moving, and I looked back at the path Tetra took before deciding to follow Dixie. A trail of shamrocks followed my every step.

**(Ike's PoV)**

I finally decided to ask, "Where are you taking me?"

The figure responded almost immediately, "The Hub; it's what serves as our shelter. I told the others to take your companions there."

"I see…"

He continued, "If all goes well, you and your companions should be back in the outside world within the hour."

"That would be great."

"Wouldn't it?"

I didn't respond. The figure seemed to be bitter, and he seemed to express it the best with snarky comments. It was for that reason I hadn't attempted to converse with him. There was nothing to take note of from the setting, and overall I was bored out of my mind. We've been walking for a long time, and although I wasn't tired, the figure did not seem like the type to stop so that I would rest if I needed it. The next few minutes passed in absolute silence, which made the sudden cry seem a lot louder than it was, "MEWTWO!"

I saw the figure visibly tense, and we both turned to see whoever called what I assumed to be the figure's name. It was two small figures in brown cloaks just like Mewtwo. Their hoods seemed to be extra large to conceal not only their face, but their ears that stood straight up, forming two brown hills.

"Mewtwo! Thank Arceus, we finally found you!"

"What do you brats want!?" Mewtwo levitated a few inches up in the air.

I didn't know what to make of the way the he spoke to the smaller Forgotten. The one that called his name shrieked, and the two smaller figures hugged one another as if for protection, "We just had to search for you!"

"This better be good, Plusle, or I'll blast you into oblivion!"

The figure named Plusle squeaked, and the other one spoke up, "Blast her into oblivion!? Don't you think that's a little bit too hardcore?"

"Did I ask for your opinion?"

The figure yelped, "J-just askin', jeez…"

Mewtwo was breathing heavily, and I asked him, "Who are these two?"

His eyes glowed beneath his hood, fierce enough to melt iron. I frowned at his expression, and Mewto turned away quickly. The other two smaller figures stepped in front of me, "Just ignore Mewtwo… I think the whole Forgotten thing affected him the most."

"Is it that bad?" I asked.

They avoided the question, "We're used to it."

"Mewtwo is his name…"

The figure nodded, "Yeah! I'm Plusle, and this is my brother, Minun!"

Minun asked, "So what's your name?"

"I'm Ike."

"Ike, huh?" Plusle looked at her brother, "Haven't we heard that name before?"

"Uh, yeah," Minun said, "I think Leader mentioned it once or twice."

"ARCEUS!" Plusle suddenly shrieked, and I knew then it was her that yelled Mewtwo's name earlier, "Minun…" Plusle whispered into her brother's ear, the only word I was able to catch being "Replacement".

Minun was nervous, "Hey, Mewtwo, is it a good idea to brink Ike to the Hub? What if he activates when he sees Leader?"

"It's the rendezvous point—if we want this trophy to leave, we must regroup him with his companions."

Minun sounded unsure, "Still… Isn't Leader bringing in one of his friends? He'll be at the Hub."

Mewtwo growled, "If you're so worried, why don't you warn him!?"

Minun backed away, "Arceus, you don't have to yell…" Mewtwo swerved around, and both figures yelped.

"Minun, go!" Plusle demanded.

He shook his head, "Nah, sis, I know you're terrified of Mewtwo— you should tell Leader about Ike."

"O-okay…" Plusle scampered off without any further argument, looking back once to wish her brother good luck before she disappeared from view.

Minun sighed, "Oh, I'm going to regret this…"

I stared at the figure, but Minun had his head down. Mewtwo spoke, "Let's keep moving."

I followed Mewtwo, and Minun climbed up my leg and hopped on to my shoulder. I frowned at him, catching a glimpse of a small nose and blue cheeks with minus signs in them, "You don't mind, do you? I don't think Mewtwo would do anything to me if I was this close to you."

"Suit yourself," I told him, wondering what the Forgotten meant by that.

Minun laughed, "Just like the old days! Leader used to let me ride on his shoulder!"

"Unfortunate, too," Mewtwo said, "I think the place has finally gotten to him."

I noticed Minun's mood change, "It has…"

Mewtwo paused, but continued moving, "Tell me, Minun, why were you and your sister looking for me?"

"Oh, right, we forgot where the chocolate bars were, and we wanted to ask you if you knew."

Mewtwo stiffened, "Of all the pokemon to be Forgotten, it just had to be you two…"

Minun laughed cheekily. With him around, there was not a single moment of silence. Words were exchanged mostly by the two of us, Mewto from time to time giving us his criticism. He reminded me a bit of myself when compared to Pit, Peach, and Junior. I'm not one to talk; I prefer listening to people's conversations rather than being in them. It's just the way I am. It was unusual talking to Minun at first, but suddenly I found myself being the one continuing the conversation.

"So what kind of pokemon are you?" I asked Minun, remembering how Mewtwo referred to him earlier.

"I'm an electric type… Unlike Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff, Plusle and I are support pokemon—that is, we're better in assisting another trophy than fighting ourselves."

I didn't know who Pikachu or Jigglypuff were, but I obviously knew Mewtwo. Just from his eyes, I knew he possessed great power. All the pokemon in Paradise, in fact, were good at the offensive. Gardevoir, on her own, was able to take down waves of pokemon all by herself, "That's interesting."

"I know that tone!" Minun accused, "You think I'm not as good as the other pokemon!"

I hesitated, "No…"

Minun's laugh relieved me, "Don't worry, I get it, but put me and my sister together, and we're unstoppable!"

"You can support each other?"

"All it takes is a Helping Hand!" I chuckled, and Minun became silent. This went on for a while, until I asked him what was wrong. Minun shook his head, "It's nothing. Maybe I'm wrong, but Clovers of Exit should be growing by your feet by now."

"Clovers of Exit?" I asked, "What is that?"

"They're special shamrocks that allow trophies to leave the Forest… it's why us Forgotten can never leave—they don't grow around us—only by trophies that do not belong in this forest."

"That is false," Mewtwo said. Minun and I were surprised that he joined in on the conversation, "Clovers of Exit don't grow around a Replacement either. If their Forgotten happens to be in the same area, whichever trophy leaves the forest first is the one that will remain, or become, remembered."

Minun's voice was a whisper, "You're not taking Ike to the Hub, are you?" Mewtwo didn't say anything, and I gave each of them glances. Mewtwo had his back to me, and Minun was focused on the silent Forgotten, "Mewtwo, this isn't the way to the Hub."

"He's dying, Minun. What do you expect me to do, let our Leader die?"

"Don't do this," Minun said. Mewtwo did not utter a word. He swerved around, and Minun screamed in my ear, "Ike, watch out!"

I was flung into the air by an invisible force, and my back hit roughly against the trunk of a tree. Minun cried out from the impact, "That was Mewtwo's Psychic," I got up, Minun holding on to the side of my neck in order to not fall off my shoulder, "You have to run away while you still can, Ike. Mewtwo is no longer a trophy—his attacks aren't restricted to a moveset; he'll kill you!"

I scoffed, offended Minun would even suggest giving up without even trying, "I'm not running away. If Mewtwo wants a fight, then I'll give him one."

"Ike—"

Mewtwo's laugh cut Minun off, "I don't know what to make of this—an act of valor, or an act of stupidity!"

I gripped Ragnell with both hands and Mewtwo disappeared.

"He used Teleport—behind you!"

I swung my blade just as Mewtwo blocked it with his psychokinesis. He pushed me back, and tackled me from the distance he had put between us. Mewtwo disappeared again, and Minun cried out, "To your left!"

I acted instinctively, blocking Mewtwo's tail. He teleported again, his voice surrounding us as if he was talking through speakers scattered all over the forest, "You annoying brat!"

I landed on both my feet, and Minun was blasted off my shoulder, "Minun!" I followed his figure being thrown to the other side of the clearing. Minun was lifted into the air a couple feet, and he waved his limbs around wildly. I ran for the Forgotten, and my vision turned red when I saw him being repeatedly slammed against the forest floor. I jumped for him, catching Minun in my arms, and landed on my side.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mewtwo demanded.

I set Minun down gently, "This is only between you and me."

There was a pause, "So you say, but the pokemon was helping you out in predicting where I will appear."

I spread my arms from side to side, "Let's make this fair, then! Just you and me, and you may not use cheap tricks—that includes teleporting and making yourself invisible."

"Cheap tricks!?" Mewtwo roared, appearing before me, "It's called strategy!"

I smiled at his carelessness. Mewtwo allowed his anger to get the better of him. I ran for him with a burst of speed, and I knew the pokemon was caught off guard by my agility. The edge of my blade hit Mewtwo directly across his torso, and he was launched a great distance away. Mewtwo struggled to get up, and the monster inside urged me to attack him. I suppressed it for the moment, and let Mewtwo get back on his feet, "Why is it do people assume I'm slow?"

"Because you are! Or you're supposed to be…"

I didn't say anything. When I fought Ness in Allys Town, I noticed that the boy was a lot quicker than I was. As the days went by, my abilities have increased. My strength, speed, and stamina were all buffed up, and I assumed it was because my body was adjusting itself after having not been in a fight for so long. I told myself it was the amnesia. The way Mewtwo was looking at me, he knew something was off, and I was starting to believe the same.

The monster crept up my throat, and a growl escaped. Mewtwo flew towards me, and I countered.

"This is impossible! You shouldn't be able to keep up with my attacks!"

I grabbed Mewtwo by the throat just as he was about to move, and threw him on the ground. I impaled Ragnell through his back, the golden blade easily making its way through the figure's slim body and into the soft soil beneath. I bent my knees and swept the hood off of Mewtwo's face. He wore an expression of pain, and I scowled at his appearance. He was hideous, with pale purple skin. The top of his head had two bumps, like the makings of antlers for young deer. The Forgotten looked like an alien, and it opened its purple eyes to glare at me, "That's it, huh? You activated."

I no longer felt the presence inside me. It was probably because it had made its way out. This should have worried me, but for some reason, it didn't, "I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about… but you're going to tell me where Roy is."

_Wait... why would I ask such a thing?_

"I'd rather die!" Mewtwo spat.

I shrugged, "Suit yourself." I grabbed the handle of Ragnell and twisted the blade. My insides recoiled, but I was unable to stop myself. Mewtwo cried out in pain, "Ready to start talking?" It looked at me hatefully, and it made me smile, "Why don't you teleport out? Is it because you are unable to, or is it because you know I can easily bring you down again?"

_Why am I saying all this? I don't talk like that!_

Mewtwo did not respond, and I twisted the blade again. This time, I did not stop, as much as I wanted to, but the enjoyment that I got out of torturing the Forgotten was evident by my sadistic smile. I was unable to feel the small hands that had grabbed my ankle, and when I did, it was far too late. My insides vibrated, and I suddenly felt numb, as I fell back. My body had a tingling sensation all over like a thousand needles have been put all over me. I was still able to see, but my ears were only able to catch a mute sound. Despite that, I knew what had happened—Minun used a move on me that left me in a state of paralysis.

The small figure cried out in anguish, his voice muffled, "Mewtwo, are you okay!?" Minun set his hands on the Forgotten, and his body began to glow. Not a moment after, Mewtwo teleported out of his previous position; Ragnell still stood, the sharp end under the soil.

Mewtwo was panting, his body hunched over and hand over his wound, "What did you do to him?"

"Thunder Wave—I don't know how long he'll stay paralyzed."

He groaned, "When have I ever been so reckless?"

"Mewtwo?" Minun asked.

"I'm sorry, Minun. You were right, he should be taken to the Hub."

Minun paused, "He's in a vulnerable state," he said, "You can delete him now, and Roy will be able to leave."

Mewtwo shook his head, "I'm no longer a trophy. The worst I can do to him is knock him out. If he were to awaken, he will eliminate each and every one of us." Minun didn't say anything, and Mewtwo continued, "He may be Roy's Replacement, but his sole job is to delete every Forgotten he comes by."

"When will he deactivate?"

"I can't answer that."

Minun looked at me, fear in his eyes, "I-I'll knock him out, then…" The pokemon approached me. I willed myself to move, but my body remained motionless. Minun stood before my face, and I was able to see electricity spark out of his cheeks, "Please be yourself when you wake up…"

I blacked out.

**(Peach's PoV)**

In the morning, or whenever I wake up, I keep my eyes closed for a while. It's a habit that I acquired the day Link left. I had cried myself to sleep, and when I regained consciousness in the morning, I turned to my side and put my hand over the other half of the bed where Link slept. I expected my arm to rest against the cold mattress, but instead, I felt a body beneath it. I opened my eyes, surprised to see Junior sleeping beside me. I couldn't help it—I began to cry. He must have crept in during the night in order to comfort me. I inched closer to my boy, and held him tight. The action woke him up, but it didn't bother him. He returned my embrace, and we stayed like that for a long while. It's because of that I don't open my eyes immediately upon waking up. I learned that expectations don't always match with reality. Sometimes, they can be better.

I remember that I was in the Forgotten Forest, and that I had met with Dr. Mario. The smell of soil confirmed it, but now there was something tickling my nose. I opened my eyes and sat up, in awe of the shamrocks that have appeared around me. They had formed a bed beneath me, and I picked one of the clovers—it was the same kind Ganondorf had given to Pit.

"I suggest you keep that."

I turned around and saw Dr. Mario without his cloak. I began to wonder where it was, when I realized that it was on my lap. The Doctor had put it on me to use as a blanket. I looked back at the Doctor, his appearance nostalgic as memories of him revived within me. Before the Memory Loss, I worked for him, but something happened that changed all that, something I was unable to remember.

It didn't matter. I was more than a baker—I had a successful job. Dr. Mario was always kind to me, and as clumsy as I was as his assistant, he was ever so patient. My vision blurred as I held his cloak in my hands, "How could I have ever forgotten you?"

The Doctor noticed the tears, and he quickly ran to my side. Whit his gloved digits, he wiped a tear that had fallen down my cheek, "Peach, you've never forgotten about me… If you had, I wouldn't be here now."

"I miss the old days," I said, "But there's no way they can ever reach the present, is there?"

The Doctor smiled warmly, "It's better that way. It makes the memories feel more special, and I feel fortunate to have such experiences. In fact, they are what have kept me sane in this forest."

I handed Dr. Mario his cloak, "I want to stay here with you…"

"Don't speak such nonsense."

"But—"

"And anyway, it's time for you to leave."

I didn't get what he told me, "What?"

Dr. Mario motioned at the patch of clovers under me, "When Clovers of Exit appear, it means that it's time for the trophy to leave. If you fail to do that, you will become a Forgotten."

I looked down, suddenly hating the green among the expansive empty landscape of the forest.

"You must take a shamrock with you. It's your ticket out of the Forgotten Forest."

"How much time do I have?" I asked.

"Not much…Can you stand?"

I nodded, "I think so." I got up, clover in hand. Dr. Mario had his palms by my arms in case I was to lose my balance, "I'm fine," I said.

"In that case, I should bring you to the Hub." Dr. Mario went on ahead, and he put his cloak back on without putting his arms through the sleeves. I narrowed my eyes at the back of his neck, which was soon covered by the hood of the cloak. Had I imagined it? There was some sort of mark just beneath his hairline, and it appeared to look like a grid. That wasn't the strange part—it was disappearing. The skin all around was closing in on the grid. I was about to ask Dr. Mario about it, but decided not to. He never wore a hood before. There must be a reason why he wears one now.

**(Pit's PoV)**

The silence was palpable. It made it hard to follow my former friend, the shell of a man he used to be. No words were exchanged for what felt like hours, and it caught me off guard when I heard Roy speak, "I'm sorry."

"What?"

The second time came out forced, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah…" I didn't know what else to say, "I'm sorry, too…"

"There's no reason to be," Roy said.

"If I came earlier, maybe there still would have been a chance—"

"No." He said it softly, but somehow I overheard it over my words, "Once a Forgotten, there's no way you can ever become a trophy again."

"Roy…"

There was a shout, "Leader!"

Roy stopped, and I saw that ahead of him there was a small figure coming towards us. It wore a cloak similar to Roy's, with a hood that concealed its face and what I assumed to be bunny ears. It stopped at Roy's feet, panting, "Leader… I'm so glad I found you…"

Roy looked down, and I made my way around so that I could see both Forgotten, "What is it, Plusle?" Roy asked.

The smaller figure—Plusle—caught her breath before she answered, "Mewtwo and Minun—"

"What now?" Roy sounded annoyed.

Plusle waved both her hands frantically, "It's not between them this time! They're escorting a Replacement to the Hub…" Plusle's voice was barely audible as she looked away, "_Your _Replacement, Leader."

I was glad to hear about Ike, and smiled when he was mentioned. That smile faded when I looked at Roy.

He didn't say anything at first. I thought he didn't hear Plusle, but then I saw his chest heaving. His breathing was hard, and Plusle backed away. I did the same, and Roy turned with a fierce gaze over my direction, "Your friends with my Replacement!?"

I was only able to sputter for a moment, "Roy, you have to understand, Ike is my companion! He has helped me in my quest to defeat Tabuu—"

"His mere presence can make you forget about me! Pit, you idiot, that can be the reason why I'm fading so fast!" Roy looked at his hands; they were trembling.

"Roy, even with Ike, I still remember you…"

"You don't sound so sure of that," he accused.

"You would have disappeared by now if I had forgotten about you," I reasoned with him.

"Explain to me this, then—why am I dying at a quicker rate than all the others? Mewtwo and Dr. Mario became Forgotten around the same time I have. They're nowhere near as gone as I am."

"Roy, I knew who you were…"

He ignored my comment, "Because of your stupidity, I'm going to die!"

I was struck dumb, and Roy laughed miserably, "The only other person that could have possibly remembered me is Palutena, but she's not a trophy. She can't prolong my existence…"

"Leader…?"

Roy ignored Plusle and continued looking at me, "I can't believe it."

I felt a sinking feeling down my throat. I knew I was going to cry, "Roy—" I reached out for him, but he flinched upon contact. He smacked my hand away, and I was left frozen.

"I want nothing to do with you," He turned to Plusle, "Plusle… take him to the Hub… Only look for me when the trophies have left the Forgotten Forest…"

Roy moved slowly as if walking took a great deal from him. He was going back the way we came, and his stare was fixed straight ahead as he passed by me. I was going to call out for him to come back when Plusle tapped my foot, "Don't—just don't… You've done enough, don't you think?"

"I never forgot about him!" I cried.

"Even if what you say is true, having your friend's Replacement for a companion is downright unforgivable."

I was about to protest, but Plusle scampered off. I ran after her, the words I was about to say becoming scrambled in my mind. Nothing. For the first time, I had no comeback.

She was absolutely right.

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**(Somewhere in the Forgotten Forest)**

Roy walked through the forest he has called home. His thoughts were on Pit, and the betrayal the angel had done to him. Although Roy himself had never met his Replacement, he knew of him well enough. He was stronger than Roy, and that scared the swordsman the most. What hurt, though, is that Pit seemed to have replaced him with Ike. That's the worst thing the angel could have ever done to him—even forgetting him would have stung Roy less.

Time passes by differently in the forest. It's sped up at times, and at other times seconds sway along the breeze like lazy butterflies. Roy didn't know how much time has passed. He hoped Pit and his companions had gone already. Most likely, they weren't even in the Hub yet. Roy sighed, and his ears perked up when he heard sobbing. At first Roy thought it was one of Pit's companions, but then he realized he recognized the sound of the girl's sobs.

She came into view. A Forgotten, with her hood down. Tetra was narcissistic, and was horrified when the grid first appeared on her neck. She always wore her hood because she cared about her appearance. Roy rarely saw Tetra's face, and for that reason, took him a while to tell the girl of his presence, "Tetra."

She looked up, her eyes wet with tears. Her face was flushed and her cheeks were damp—on normal circumstances, she would have never let anybody look at her in such a vulnerable state. She was too proud for that. Not even Dixie, her best friend, would let her comfort Tetra when she cried. She wiped her face, greeting the swordsman, "Roy."

"What's wrong?"

Tetra anticipated the question, but she found herself unable to answer.

"Tetra, what happened?"

Tetra sniffed, "My brother. He's one of Pit's companions. I… I don't want him to leave… at least, not so soon…" Fresh tears invaded Tetra's eyes, and she covered her face in shame.

Roy wasn't use to seeing Tetra like this. He wasn't used to seeing anybody like this. He remembered her mentioning her brother. He was named after their father, Link, "Link."

"He prefers Junior," Tetra smiled, "He's sweet. I've always dreamed of meeting him, but now that I know he has to leave, given the choice, I would have chosen never meeting him to begin with…"

"Where is he now?"

"Dixie should be taking him to the Hub right about now," Tetra said.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You don't plan on saying goodbye to your brother?" Roy asked.

"I don't think I'll be able to…" Tetra admitted.

"You want to see him one last time, don't you?"

She shook her head, "Not for the last time…"

"Then give him something to remember you by."

She looked up to meet Roy's eyes, "What would you suggest?"

"Everything you have is girly," Roy teased, "But you do have that pirate outfit you never wear. Maybe you can give Link your bandanna."

"For the last time, they're my pajamas!" Roy waited for the appropriate response, "You're right, though. Maybe if I give him something of mine, he won't forget me."

Roy smiled; Tetra's tears were gone.

"So what happened to you?" Tetra asked.

"What do you mean?" Roy was confused.

"Last I saw you, you were elated upon hearing the news that Pit has made his way into the Forgotten Forest. Why aren't you with him now?"

"Pit…" Tetra waited for Roy to answer her question, "Pit's forgotten about me."

"That's not possible," Tetra said, frowning.

Anger revived inside of Roy, "He's friends with my Replacement—he's one of Pit's companions."

"That may be, but Pit hasn't forgotten about you."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Junior knows about you, Roy. He recognized your name when I mentioned it. I asked him about it, and he said Pit has talked about you."

Roy's mind was blank. He couldn't believe it. Even with his Replacement at his side, he never forgot about him? He had to apologize to Pit. He's never forgotten. He always knew.

"Let's go to the Hub," Roy said to Tetra.

**(Junior's PoV)**

I had to run to keep up, but even then, Dixie was always ahead of me by a mile. She swung by the branches of the trees overhead, and at some point, I had to beg for her to stop.

She hung on to a branch with one hand, and looked down on me, "We're almost there, Junior, come on! I want us to be the first ones there!"

I had my hands on my knees, panting, "Just give me a sec…"

After I caught my breath, I followed Dixie until she came to a stop. She landed on the ground in front of a wooden ladder. I realized it was the same one I had climbed the day before; it led to a platform where I had played the Wind Waker. Dixie climbed up, and when she had reached the platform above, told me to follow her. Once I was beside Dixie, she led me the other way, to a bridge that led to a tree house. I never knew of this place, but it was understandable since the trees blocked the view of it.

Inside was empty. There was a carpet that covered most of the floor, and a sack filled with apples at the far end of the room. The corner had a rope coming down from the ceiling, and I guessed that the place had a second story.

Dixie cheered, "Yes, we're the first ones here!"

"So we just wait for the others?" I asked.

"Pretty much. There's apples if you want any; are you tired? There are beds upstairs."

I shook my head, "No thanks." I looked around, "So this is where the Forbidden Seven live?"

"This is our place."

I blushed, and Dixie looked at me strangely. I almost lost the nerve to ask, but I gathered all my courage, "Can I, uh, see Tetra's room?"

I expected my request to be denied, but Dixie agreed, "Sure, I'll give you the tour of the Hub. The room we're in serves no purpose, really. In case of intruders, they will think it's an empty room, the only room in this tree house."

"Won't they see the rope?" I pointed, and Dixie followed my gaze.

"Good eye, but no. Usually, at least one of us stays while the rest of us search outside for food and other resources. The reason the rope is down now, is because we would be stuck on the first floor since there's no one upstairs, and all the Forgotten are outside at the moment."

"Oh…"

"Let's go upstairs," Dixie said. She climbed the rope, and I did the same. The second floor had three beds, and another rope hanging in the corner. One bed had a sheath with a sword inside leaning beside it. The other bed had shelves on both sides, filled with jars with a lot of strange stuff inside them. The bed farthest from us had nothing. "We call this the Senior Room. The oldest Forgotten sleep here. That is Roy, Dr. Mario, and Mewtwo, respectively." She pointed to each bed as she said the names.

We climbed the other rope and made it to the third floor. The room also had three beds, but there was a lot more furniture. Pokemon dolls were piled on one bed. Another was a canopy bed with beautiful curtains. I knew this belonged to Tetra. The last bed wasn't really a bed, but a hammock with a couple pillows on it. I approached the canopy bed, and pulled the curtain so that I would be able to look inside. The bed was disorganized, something I didn't expect from Tetra.

Dixie stood beside me, "She left in a hurry when Mewtwo said there were trophies lost in the forest. She always gets excited when it comes to meeting new people. Sadly, it doesn't happen very often."

"It must get lonely," I said.

"Roy lets us visit Pokemon Paradise on the weekends."

"Roy?" I asked.

"He's our leader."

We heard a shout from below. I could have sworn it sounded like Ike, but the voice wasn't as deep. I looked at Dixie questioningly, and she said, "That would be him now. Wait here—I'll drop the rope for him."

"You pulled it up?"

Dixie nodded, "I'll be right back."

After a few moments, Dixie returned with a tall hooded figure, followed by Tetra.

"Tetra!" I ran to her and gave her a bear hug. She seemed shocked at first, but she hugged me back.

"I have something to give you," Tetra said.

I let her go, "Really?"

She nodded, and opened a drawer from the cabinet beside her bed. She took out a red bandanna, and held it close before she held it out. I stared at it for a moment, and Tetra nodded, "Take it."

I took the red cloth and inspected it, "Not that I'm ungrateful, but why are you giving this to me?"

"So you don't forget," Tetra said.

"I don't need this. There's no way I can forget you."

"Please—I want you to have it."

"Thanks," I said, "I'll always have it with me." To prove my point, I tied the bandanna around my neck. Dave jumped inside the hollow space inside like a baby kangaroo in its mothers pouch.

Tetra only smiled, and was about to say something when Roy spoke before her, "Your friends should be arriving soon."

I faced the Forgotten, "You're Roy, right? Pit told me about you. He'll be glad to know that you're not dead."

Roy sort of laughed, "I think he's well aware of that already."

I frowned at his response, and was about to reply when there was a call coming from down below to drop the rope.

Roy turned his head slightly to Dixie's direction, "That was Dr. Mario. He might be with…Ike…" Roy looked around nervously and approached the window by Dixie's hammock, "If you'll excuse me…"

"Roy, what do you think you're—" Tetra stopped mid sentence as Roy jumped out the window.

"Wow, not even me," Dixie said.

"What!?" Tetra cried, "You leave the Hub by the window all the time!"

"Tetra, I'm a monkey."

Tetra was about to protest, but thought better of it, "Touché."

"Anyway, I'll go drop the rope." Dixie left the room, and Tetra and I watched her go.

My eyes wandered back to the window Roy had left from, and Tetra echoed my thoughts, "I wonder what got over him."

"Does he not want to meet Ike?" I asked to no one in particular.

Tetra gasped, "That's it!"

"What's it?"

She shook her head, "Nothing."

Dixie returned, and I ignored the cloaked figure behind her when I saw Mom enter the room, looking around with a look of distress on her face. "Mom!" I exclaimed, and she turned upon hearing me. Her mouth curved up in a smile and we both ran to one another in order to embrace. The bandanna shook, and I realized Dave was being crushed. Mom released me, and the Shadow bug jumped back on to my shoulder.

I ignored Dave, who was jumping repeatedly in place in a fit of anger, "Mom, I want you to meet Tetra!" I grabbed her hand, and Tetra waved timidly. She appeared to be troubled by something, but I didn't give much thought to it at the moment.

"It's nice to meet you," Mom said, "My name is Peach."

Tetra smiled, "Feeling's mutual."

"So who's the guy that brought you here?" I asked Mom.

She looked back and turned with enthusiasm, "You won't believe, Junior! I've gained back some memories from before the Memory Loss!"

I was astonished, "Really!?"

"His name is Dr. Mario! I used to work for him as his assistant! Junior, I was a nurse!"

I couldn't believe it, "Wow, a nurse? I thought you had to be smart for that."

Mom gaped at me, and Dr. Mario intervened, "That's exactly right, my boy. Your mother has quite the brain, and talents to go along with it."

Dr. Mario was shorter than Mom, reaching just above her shoulder. All I was able to see under his hood was a large nose and a bushy mustache, "Is she any different now from then?" I asked him.

Dr. Mario hesitated, "Hard to say… We've only just reunited. She does seem more mature, though. Maybe having a child demands that extra responsibility."

I laughed sheepishly, "People do say I'm a handful…"

"Say, Junior, where did you get that bandanna?"

I looked at Mom, "Oh. Tetra gave it to me, so I won't forget her."

Dr. Mario addressed Tetra, "A splendid idea!" He turned to my mom, "I wish for you to keep the handkerchief I gave you. Not because it's dirty, but because I don't want you to forget me either."

"There's no way that can happen," Mom assured Dr. Mario.

"Uh," Dixie moaned, "This is getting really cheesy."

I laughed, "I won't forget you either, Dixie!"

She waved me off, "It's all right. There's someone out there that still remembers me. Thanks for the offer, though."

"Okay…" I said.

"DROP THE ROPE!" shrieked a voice from the bottom floor.

We all winced, and Dixie groaned, "Minun…" She went down, and we heard her shout, "What the—? The hell's wrong with you guys!?"

We frowned, and Mom and I cried out when we saw two new figures enter the room, with Ike laying down in midair behind them. He appeared to be knocked out, and Mom and Dr. Mario rushed to his side.

"What happened!?" Mom demanded.

"Mewtwo, lay the lad on the bed!" The taller figure followed Dr. Mario's orders, and Ike floated gently down to rest on the bed closest to him after Tetra removed all the pokemon dolls that were in the way.

"I'm waiting for an explanation!" When Mom raised her voice, people and trophies alike gave in. Forgotten were no exception.

The smaller figure trembled at being put in the spot, "It was self-defense! He was activated, and attacked us!" Mom frowned, and the figure yelped, "Why are you only looking at me!? Blame Mewtwo! It was, like, 98% his fault!"

"Gee, thanks," Mewtwo said sarcastically.

Mom shook her head, "It doesn't matter whose fault it is. Doctor, will he be all right?"

Dr. Mario had two fingers at the side of Ike's neck, "He'll be fine. He has a pulse, which means he wasn't hurt fatally."

Mom sighed in relief, "Thank goodness…"

The smaller figure said, "So… yeah… Dr. Mario, you should give them a cherri berry to cure Ike of his paralysis. He will stay paralyzed otherwise, even if he were to wake up."

Mom looked at the figure in horror, "What did you do to him!?"

"Uh…" The figure was saved by yet another call from downstairs.

"That should be Pit!" I said. Dixie went to drop the rope, and soon Pit was in the same room with us. Our group was back together. It wasn't the same being apart. It made me realize how close I had gotten to Pit and Ike. I hoped that in the future, we never get separated ever again.

Pit was about to greet us, when he saw Ike, "What happened!?"

"That's what I would like to know," Mom said, eyes on the small figure.

The Forgotten that came with Pit spoke up, "Minun, was he activated?"

Minun nodded, "Yeah…"

"But how?" the figure asked, "He never made contact with Roy!"

"Mewtwo provoked him," Minun said.

We all looked at Mewtwo, who ignored our glares. He simply stated, "Now that you're all here, it's best if the four of you were to leave."

"Now?" Pit asked, "What about Ike?"

"He's a threat to us Forgotten."

Dr. Mario said, "Mewtwo's right. The longer the four of you stay here, the better chance there is of becoming a Forgotten like us."

"So... this is goodbye?" Mom looked at Dr. Mario, and I looked at Tetra, who avoided my gaze.

Dr. Mario kept his eyes on Ike, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully, "We'll escort the four of you to the border."

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A trail of clovers followed me, Pit, and Mom as we followed the six Forgotten to the border of the forest. Mewtwo had offered to carry Ike, as it took no effort with his psychic powers. From one of the jars that Dr. Mario had on his shelf, he took out a red berry which he gave to Mom. It was supposed to cure Ike's paralysis when he wakes up. Pit was looking around restlessly, and I asked him what was wrong. He stared at me as if we were strangers, and stared straight ahead.

"I don't see Roy…"

"Oh yeah…" I looked up thoughtfully, "He jumped out the window because he didn't want to meet Ike."

"That makes sense," Pit said bitterly.

Slowly but noticeably, the forest changed. It became greener, and grass started to grow more abundantly. More leaves covered the branches above, and flowers were littered everywhere. It looked just like the forest from Pokemon Paradise, except for the Clovers of Exit that followed our every step. Up ahead, the amount of trees thinned down until there was only a plain of small grassy hills that resembled frozen waves. The Forgotten stopped behind two trees that were placed a couple yards apart. It looked like a gate, and Mewtwo threw Ike to the other side between the two trees parallel to one another.

"That was unnecessary," Pit told Mewtwo.

"It doesn't matter—anything we do doesn't matter."

Mewtwo disappeared, and Minun sadly shook his head, "Poor Mewtwo, he lost all faith…"

Tetra approached me, and I hugged her before she can say anything, "I won't forget you," I said.

I knew she was crying from her cracked voice, "Please… Return my bandanna to me someday. I want to see you again, Junior, no matter what it takes. I'll wait years—decades—if it means that you'll return to the Forgotten Forest someday. Like Mewtwo, I lost hope, but it was all regained the moment I met you. Please… please… promise me."

Mom always told me to only promise something when I know I can go through with it. I tend to find loopholes in Mom's rules, but that one piece of advice is one of the few things I agree with her about. It's one rule I don't plan to break or make my way around, "I promise."

"Farewell," she said.

"Goodbye…sis…" Tetra's eyes widened, and I crossed the invisible barrier through the two trees. I looked back, to see Tetra crying. From joy or from sadness, I was unable to tell.

Mom and Dr. Mario both exchanged goodbyes, and they hugged before Mom crossed the border to stand beside me. Pit lingered behind, and was about to come after us when someone called his name.

"Pit!"

Pit turned, and we saw a hooded figure running towards him. I knew it was Roy, and he stopped in front of Pit, breathless, "I know you've never forgotten me."

Pit was crying, and the tears shocked me, "I'm sorry," he said, "There's nothing I can do for you…"

"It's okay. We met one last time, and that was all I ever hoped for."

Mom held me close, and I hugged her back. It sounded as if Roy was about to die soon. I think Pit knew that, because he continued shaking his head from side to side.

"Goodbye, Pit. Send my regards to Lady Palutena."

"No…"

"What?"

Pit grabbed Roy, and pulled him with all his might across the border. There was a sound wave that hurt my ears, and ripples appeared between the two trees that refused Roy's fist to go past them.

"Pit, stop!"

Mom and I were only able to watch as Pit attempted to pull Roy out of the Forgotten Forest. The other Forgotten were still as statues.

"Pit, stop!" Roy let out a cry of pain, "Pit, please, it hurts!"

Pit let go, and Roy landed on his bottom. His hood fell to his shoulders, and I gasped at his appearance. His face was mostly gone, replaced by a 3D grid that formed the shape of his head. Only his eye and full set of red hair was visible. Pit was on his knees, sobbing. Mom approached Pit, and placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Pit, are you okay?"

I don't know why she asked; it was obvious that he wasn't. Pit spoke, softly at first, but quickly raised his voice so we could all hear.

"You see him?" Pit asked, "The guy with the red hair? His name is Roy. Don't forget it."

Mom smiled, "We won't."

I stared at Roy, and for a moment, it seemed as if his skin was eating away the grid. He put his hood back on, and I was left to wonder if I had imagined it. Was Pit kidding? There was no way I could ever forget the Forbidden Seven. I looked at Tetra one final time, and felt her bandanna around my neck.

I won't forget any of them.

Ever.


End file.
